ANALYSIS:Some 22 TDs from all parties are past pupils of second-level fee-paying schools, writes HARRY McGEE
MORE THAN half the Ministers in Cabinet attended private fee-paying schools, an analysis of the school records of all 166 TDs has shown.
The study by The Irish Times shows that 22 TDs are past pupils of second-level schools which were fee-paying. The deputies comprise about 12 per cent of the 166 TDs in the Dáil.
Thirteen of the deputies are from Fine Gael. Some five of Labour’s 37 TDs went to fee-paying schools, including party leader Eamon Gilmore. However, he attended Garbally College in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, on a scholarship.
There is only one Fianna Fáil TD, Barry Cowen, who attended Cistercian College in Roscrea. The list includes one Sinn Féin TD, deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald, who attended Notre Dame, Churchtown, Dublin.
Of the Independents and other groups, Shane Ross attended Rugby College in England, and People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett is a former pupil of St Michael’s College in Dublin.
Among the Cabinet members, Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald attended Sion Hill Convent in Blackrock, Co Dublin, at a time when it charged its students fees.
Two Cabinet members attended Clongowes Wood College, in Co Kildare. They are Fine Gael’s Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton (who also attended Belvedere College) and Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney, also of Fine Gael. Mr Coveney also attended the private Presentation Brothers College in Cork.
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar attended King’s Hospital, Dublin; Minister for Justice Alan Shatter attended the High School in Rathgar; while Minister for Health James Reilly attended Gormanston College.
Labour Party Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn was a student at Blackrock College. Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett attended CBC Monkstown in Dublin. Dara Murphy, the Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, attended Christian Brothers College in Cork.
The Fine Gael deputy for Dublin South, Peter Mathews, is a past pupil of Gonzaga College in Milltown, Dublin. Fine Gael’s Eoghan Murphy from Dublin South East attended St Michael’s College. His Dublin South West colleague Brian Hayes, Minister of State for Finance, is one of three past pupils of Garbally College, along with Gilmore and Labour TD for Dublin North East Seán Kenny. Labour TD for Dublin Mid-West Robert Dowds attended King’s Hospital.
Labour TD for Kerry North Arthur Spring attended Cistercian College in Roscrea, as did Cowen and Fine Gael TD for Sligo-Leitrim Tony McLoughlin.
Labour Minister of State for Housing Jan O’Sullivan attended Villiers School, Limerick.