Just one year ago the Labour Party's Education (Admission to Schools) Bill was put into one year of cold storage by the Government because the Government did not want to address the issue of children who, if they have not been baptised, are frequently denied admission to their own local schools in favour of children from outside the area who may be of the appropriate religion. The Labour Party Bill goes on to Committee Stage today as the one year of cold storage is over. The Taoiseach puts himself forward as a modern and modernising Taoiseach. Is he really in favour of children not being able to go to local schools, including in areas of high demand, because the parents have not had their children baptised? He knows and I know from the area we both represent that some parents absolutely feel it is essential to baptise their children in order to secure a local school place.

I thank the Deputy. She will allow us to discuss the issue.

Does the Taoiseach propose to stand over this situation and to continue to allow his Government and its supporters-----

I thank the Deputy.

-----actually to refuse to make this essential change for a modern Ireland?

The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, will be at the Committee Stage today and based on my-----

The Minister, Deputy Bruton, is refusing to do anything about it.

Will Deputy Burton please allow the Taoiseach to answer?

There is a real issue in the House where people do not want to hear the answer to a question, even interrupting in the first sentence of a reply. I can understand being interrupted after three or four sentences, but when one is interrupted halfway through the first sentence, it indicates that the Deputy who has asked the question does not want an answer. I shall give an answer. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, will be before the Select Committee on Education and Skills where he will indicate a policy on behalf of the Government that we should end the practice of children being denied entry to schools based on their religion. There will need to be safeguards put in place to protect the ethos of minority schools. He will outline today how we believe that can be done.

Is a five-year transition period modern and new?