With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.
The invitation was issued to the joint secretary of the two bodies concerned, and was taken up by the Church of Ireland Board of Education. Representatives of that body met me and officials of my Department on 7 June 1978.
The delegation raised a number of matters relating to the draft deed, and it was clear that there was agreement in many instances on these matters. The discussion was of a general nature, and it was not intended that specific agreements be recorded in a formal way.
I may add that during the course of a meeting which a deputation from the Secondary Education Committee had with me on 25 October 1979 reference was also made to the deed of trust for community schools. The committee subsequently conveyed their gratitude for the time devoted to their concerns and the close attention given to each matter raised.
The procedure adopted for consultations with the different interests was related to the circumstances of the apparent degree of their involvement at the time in amendments to the draft deed.
It is some time since these Questions were first placed on the Order Paper. I may state that whatever misunderstandings there may have been at that time, based on mistaken assertions of individuals, there is at present a full consensus as to the role and function of the community school and as to the importance which the Protestant community attaches to the place of its own secondary schools in the educational system.