Saturday, April 23, 2011

Changes in school patronage will be cost-neutral, says Quinn

ANY changes to the patronage of schools will have to be managed in a way that is cost-neutral, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has warned.

Any recommendations from the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, which was formally launched Tuesday, could not be implemented if they come at a significant cost, said Mr Quinn.

He predicted that only about 50% of primary schools will be under the patronage of the Catholic Church in the near future, compared with the current 95%. 

However, he acknowledged the figure would not be 50% in every parish.

The minister stressed that the days of the Department of Education implementing "one size fits all" policies were over.

However, the Catholic Schools Partnership recently claimed the 50% figure was "way over the top" and had raised fears that some Catholic schools would be forced to relinquish patronage against their will.

The organisation has also hinted that any transfer of patronage could pose complex legal issues governing the ownership of property and other school assets.

Addressing an audience of stakeholders at the launch of the forum in Dublin, Mr Quinn said separate talks between the Department and Catholic Church representatives were already under way about the Church’s willingness to transfer the patronage of some of its schools.

He claimed the deep interest of Irish parents in the children’s education was evident by the fact that 22,000 people were involved in school boards of management.

He claimed the establishment of the forum was necessary to enable schools reflect the fact that Ireland had a more diverse population than 20 years ago, with 12% of primary school pupils of migrant origin.

"I see the objective for this forum as being a very simple one. As a society, the patronage of our primary schools should reflect the diversity within our population."

However, he said it was important that schools of different patronage types remained inclusive and that arrangements for the delivery of religious education respected the rights of all students and their parents.

Submissions have been invited from stakeholders, individuals and groups to address how the demand for diversity is established and how the transfer of patronage will be managed. 

They are also being asked to comment on how diversity can be accommodated in areas where there are just one or two schools.

The forum’s chairman, Professor John Coolahan, said the issue was complex and covered an area of great importance and sensitivity but he welcomed the general acceptance by the Catholic Church authorities of the need for change.

Prof Coolahan expressed concern that some parents would mistakenly fear that the process would result in religious education being taken away from their children.

Mr Quinn said he expected the forum’s interim report would be completed by November with a final report delivered by the end of the year.