A group of parents from the national school in Tinahely, Co Wicklow, has asked Bishop Eamonn Walsh to take action to prevent alleged bullying and deal with other problems at the school before it reopens in September.
A spokesman for Bishop Walsh, the patron of the school, said yesterday he had received several complaints from parents about "difficulties" at the school and the bishop was trying to resolve these at present.
Some of the parents are threatening to take their children out of the school if stronger action is not taken to stamp out bullying among pupils.
The school, which has about 90 pupils, is under the management of the Diocese of Ferns. It has been beset by several problems in recent years.
Its board of management was disbanded two years ago and its principal, Mr Frank Purcell, was suspended in December on full pay. He is now taking legal advice.
The reasons for his suspension have not been disclosed. The vice-principal of the school also decided to leave in recent days. The Department of Education has been informed of the developments at the school but has told parents to pursue the issues at local level.
Wicklow TD, Ms Liz McManus, yesterday said she had spoken to the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, about the issues at the school and it was now time for him to take responsibility directly.
She said it was unacceptable that the difficulties have gone on for so long without a resolution. "In a small school these kind of disputes can have a very demoralising effect," she added.
The manager of the school, Father Patrick O'Brien, told The Irish Times that while he had received two complaints about bullying from parents, there was not a widespread problem at the school. He said he had received no representations on the issue from the official parents' association.
He said he hoped the school would reopen in September in a harmonious atmosphere.
However, a petition calling for the diocese and school to take stronger action on bullying has been signed by 56 parents.
The statement from Bishop Walsh said: "Complaints of any nature in primary schools are handled in accordance with established and recognised procedures. Bishop Walsh respects such procedures and he is engaged in resolving the difficulties in a manner as is appropriate to him," he said.
The parents have been writing to the Department of Education's primary inspectorate, Bishop Walsh's predecessor Bishop Comiskey, Cardinal Connell, the INTO and local politicians for the last three years.
Mr Dick Barton, one of the parents, said he found it very frustrating that nobody had attempted to seriously intervene to solve the issues at the school during that time.