asked the Minister for Education if the complainant in a case (details supplied) has yet been interviewed by an officer of his Department; if the principal or a representative of the owners of the school has yet been interviewed by an officer of his Department; If it is proposed to interview either the complainant, the principal or a representative of the owners; why the inquiry has not yet been completed; and when he will issue a decision on the matter.

The principal of the school has been interviewed by a senior officer of my Department. I understand that the principal proposes to discuss the matter in question with the board of governors of the school and subsequently may arrange a discussion with the pupil's father.

I anticipate that on the basis of the proposed discussions the issue in dispute may be satisfactorily and amicably resolved.

Could I ask the Minister to respond to that part of the question which asked whether the officer of his Department who is pursuing the inquiry intends to interview the parent concerned, or not?

If we think that is necessary, we will do so. We have had explicit and fully self-explanatory correspondence from the parent and from Deputy Horgan. I do not think it is necessary at the moment, in view of the substance of my reply where I think that we have the necessary conditions for resolving the dispute.

Would the Minister agree that in this case, where a parent is complaining that a school is forcing his child to attend compulsory religious instruction, the very least the Minister should do is interview the person who has made the complaint, the parent. If he is not going to interview the parent or regard it as optional, how on earth does he reconcile that with the various statements in the Constitution about parents and their rights?

The Minister is fully aware of the constitutional position and fully aware of the rights of the parent. He will defend those rights and, in fact, that is what he is doing.