Madam, - I must congratulate Archbishop Martin for firmly expressing, on Tuesday, his public desire that the current system of school patronage should be changed, and changed quickly.
Under the current system and in accordance with Section 7.3(c) of the Equal Status Act 2000, a school can legitimately choose to refuse to educate a child solely because of his or her religious background.
This, according to RTÉ, is what has happened in Dublin's Diswellstown, where up to 90 children, the vast majority believed not to be Catholic, were refused places in two existing schools and a third school, effectively segregated, is to be opened.
If this report is true, this dismal sectarianism sends a sadly clear message concerning integration to the children and parents concerned.
And one can only wonder how both will feel when they then learn that the organisation which oversaw their selective failure to enter the existing schools, oversees the new one too. - Yours, etc,
ROBIN HILLIARD, Westland Square, Dublin 2.
A Bhean Uasal, - I read with horror that the Roman Catholic Church has been asked to be the patron of a new school in Dublin, even though most of the pupils are not members of the Roman Catholic Church.
Why do we need to ask religious organisations to be the patron of any school? Why cannot the State be the controller of a school, not just a patron? Would we ask a sports club or a corporation to be the patron of a school? What is the point of religious organisations having an influence over a school? Have we not learned anything from our history?
Mixing religion and public affairs together is a disaster. It only leads to division and discrimination which leads to hatred and potentially violence. Is it not time we removed all and any religious influence over education and made it a secular affair?
If religious organisations want to teach people about faith, let them do it in their places of worship, not in public schools. Secular education is the way forward, not religious and sectarian education. - Mise, le meas,
SEANÁN Ó COISTÍN, Cill Choca, Co Chill Dara.