Primary schools will in future be able to decide whether or not to close on religious holidays after the Catholic bishops eased their demand that all schools observe for all Holy Days of Obligation with a day off.
In a letter to the INTO, the bishops conceded that while it was "desirable that all Catholic schools observe, as far as possible, the Holy Days of Obligation" the ultimate decision to close should be made by the school's board of management.
This resolves an issue which had seen the INTO criticise what they described as contradictory and confusing instructions about school closings on Holy Days from bishops to the detriment of the new common school year.
More than 90 per cent of the 3,000-plus primary schools are under the patronage of the Catholic bishops.
Last year the bishops issued a reminder to schools on their obligation to close on Holy Days. This was defied by a number of schools on All Saints Day, November 1 st. The issue arose again on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8 th, when not all schools closed.
In a letter to the INTO, Bishop of Kilmore, Dr Leo O'Reilly said: "Having consulted with the management bodies of Catholic primary and post primary schools and the Religious Trustees, and in view of the variety of conditions which may affect schools in different areas and circumstances, the Bishops' Conference has decided that the ultimate decision about whether or not a school will remain closed on Church Holy Days will be made at Board of Management level in consultation with the Trustees/Patron of the school.''
Dr O'Reilly, the chairman of the Irish Episcopal Conference, describes Holy Days of Obligation, as "days of special worship and celebration, are a valuable expression of the Ethos of a Catholic School.''
He encouraged the school community which remains open on a Holy Day to attend a Mass where feasible.
The letter has been welcomed by delegates attending the INTO annual conference. John Carr, INTO general secretary, said the bishop's stance takes into consideration the different operating circumstances in which primary schools function.
