Parents of 1,000 children refused access to non-denominational Educate Together (ET) schools are to write to the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, demanding that their constitutional rights to such an education be upheld.
In his address to ET's annual general meeting at the weekend, Mr Paul Rowe, its chief executive, said its own research had revealed there were almost twice as many children entering its schools as leaving them. While this proved that the capacity of the ET sector would double in the next five years, over 1,000 children were unable to find a place in ET schools last year.
"We now will offer parents refused places in this way a standard letter to the Minister asking for a vindication of their constitutional rights.
"We must move towards the norm in developed democracies in which the State provides a network of schools that are legally obliged to operate inclusively - and simultaneously allow parents to choose specific religious instruction if they so wish."
If the State did not take action it was "inevitable" that parents would pursue a legal route to ensure that they had a choice in their type of schools.
"We do not believe that this structural issue should be resolved through a lengthy and difficult court process, as did the plight of children on the autistic spectrum. We believe this is a political issue that deserves prudent and timely action in the best interests of society.
"However, let no one be under any illusion that this issue can be skirted around or avoided."
Increases in the requirements when applying for new schools, as well as the cost of making such applications, also made it harder for ET schools to be established in disadvantaged areas.
"We can no longer go forward with a system that gives a parent a right to an education that respects their preference and conscience, but only enables that right if they are prepared to find and combine with others in similar circumstances."
He said ET, which has opened three new schools since September, received €39,800 a year in funding from the State. This had not increased with inflation but had, in reality, decreased, as assistance for its education and training programmes had been reduced over the past two years.