CATHOLIC BISHOPS will be under pressure to identify schools they are willing to relinquish control of at a meeting with Department of Education officials today.
Over the past 18 months, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has repeatedly signalled his willingness to let go of schools in areas where the Catholic Church is over-represented. At present the church controls over 92 per cent of primary schools (3,000 of the total of 3,200) in the State.
Yesterday, Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe said it was hoped that an indication of which schools Dr Martin had in mind would be gained at today’s meeting. The department has written to Dr Martin “on a number of occasions asking him to identify areas where he would like to divest. Hopefully we will get some clear indication of what areas and what schools he has in mind.”
The department hopes the meeting will clarify whether Dr Martin’s views are shared by other church leaders, notably Bishop Leo O’Reilly, chair of the Bishops’ Education Commission. Dr O’Reilly has been more cautious but a church spokesman played down any divergence of opinion.
Both Dr O’Reilly and Dr Martin are expected to attend today’s meeting with Brigid McManus, secretary general of the department; Frank Wyse, assistant secretary general, and other senior officials.
The department is under pressure to provide a more diverse range of education choice. This pressure has been exacerbated by the Ryan report, which raised awkward questions about Catholic management of schools.
State-run community primary schools have been set up in Dublin in the past two years under the Co Dublin Vocational Educational Committee. Speaking before the Oireachtas Education Committee last week, Mr Wyse said today’s meeting will explore what was involved in such a process, how the transfers might take place, and under what conditions.
“We feel as it has been raised by members of the hierarchy we need to find out how they would envisage the process moving into reality,” he said.
Earlier this year, Dr O’Reilly reiterated the church’s commitment to the provision of Catholic schools. While stressing the church was also prepared to engage with the State when it came to addressing diversity in education, he pointed out that it was parents and communities who wanted Catholic schools.
Dr Martin has described the virtual Catholic monopoly of primary school patronage as a historical hangover which did not reflect the reality of modern Ireland.
At today’s meeting the department will stress the need for consultation with parents, teachers and local communities in any handover of schools to new patrons. Dr Martin, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation and the main Opposition parties favour a national forum on education to address issues concerning school governance, patronage and management.