Sir, – Michael Neary, the archbishop of Tuam, says that we have mainly church-run schools because parents want it that way ("Parents must ensure the ethos of Catholic schools is maintained, says archbishop", November 11th).
I would suggest we have predominantly church-run schools because parents have virtually no choice in the matter.
If the church is so sure of its position in the debate, then surely there would be no objection to asking the people of Ireland what they want, democratically, rather than dictating ever more from the pulpit.
A vote to decide the matter once and for all would seem a reasonable proposition. – Yours, etc,
VINCENT HEARNE,
Nabinaud,
France.
Sir, – Can we turn the argument round and ask, how, in the proposed changes to disallow religious selection in overcrowded schools, those parents who do want their child to go to a religious school are to be accommodated? It seems to me that they have as much right to be accommodated in their wish as those who want the opposite. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK DAVEY,
Shankill,
Dublin 18.