O’Keeffe move on schools must be start of process
I have welcomed the announcement from the Minister for Education that his Department will shortly be releasing details of ten urban areas where it believes that there is a surplus of Catholic schools and a need for some of them to shut down.
I hope that this move is an indication that the government is at least beginning to accept that there is now a compelling case for moving towards a new system of patronage that takes account of changing views in regard to religion and education.
It is also important that the proposed areas should be selected on a fair basis, representing a cross section of Irish society, and that there should be no question of ‘cherry-picking’ schools in areas of higher income.
“The system of patronage that evolved when 95% of our population were practicing Catholics is no longer appropriate when there are now such a range of denominations and when an increasing number of people want to able to opt for non-denominational or inter-denomination education for their children.
“It also clear that many Catholic priests, who currently act as school managers, would welcome the opportunity to divest themselves of the burden of running primary schools.
“I believe that the way in which we should now proceed is through the establishment of a National Forum on Patronage in Primary Schools. Such a forum would involve all of the stakeholders, parents, patrons, teachers, principals and others. This would provide the road map to the future shape of our primary school system.
The answer to this problem is the orderly transfer of Catholic patronage of some primary schools to other patron bodies under supervision of the Department of Education and Science.
This would reflect modern day practice and observance. It would enable Catholic parents to have Catholic schools which would deliver Catholic education for observant Catholic parents and their children.
