A BITTER row has erupted over child protection in Catholic primary schools.Catholic Church education organisations last night hit back at claims that there were deep- rooted concerns among school principals over the issue.
On Friday, the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) called on the bishops named in the Murphy report to step down as school patrons.
But it has provoked a massive backlash from Catholic organisations, as well as from the INTO and a number of individual principals.
They accused the IPPN of misinformation and moved to reassure parents that their children are safe in the country's 3,000 Catholic primary schools.
The schools come under the direct patronage of the Catholic bishops and the IPPN has called for an independent audit of the roles of all those involved in child protection in every school in the state.
IPPN director Sean Cottrell last night told the Irish Independent that teachers in some primary schools were still being prevented from implementing the Stay Safe programme.
He claimed they were being told by the chairperson of their board of management not to teach the programme.
Mr Cottrell alleged that, in at least two cases, the decision had come from the patron of the school, who is the local bishop.
"We know now that educated, intelligent and experienced people made disastrous choices and displayed flawed judgment when they failed to put children first in order to avoid 'public scandal', protect personal reputations or defend the power of their institutions," the IPPN said.
Mr Cottrell further claimed that none of the new principals appointed in September had received training in child protection.
He added there was plenty of support for the IPPN's concerns over child protection in schools.
But another prominent founder member of IPPN, Sean O'Diomasaigh, accused the organisation of "opportunistic bandwagonery" and said the claims of deep-rooted concerns were "way over the top".
Mr O'Diomasaigh, a former education department inspector, now a school principal, said the network was set up to further the professionalism of principals, but statements such as that issued about child protection did not help.
The INTO said it wanted to assure parents that primary schools strove for the highest standards of child protection. The union said there was clear evidence of this in school reports from the department of education's inspectorate.
A hundred school reports had been published since September this year.
"Every one of them shows schools are compliant with department regulations," the incoming general secretary of the union, Sheila Nunn, said.
"All of the schools reported on, without exception, have adopted the Child Protection Guidelines for Primary Schools."
The Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) last night hit out at "misinformation" in recent days as to whether Catholic schools were safe places for children.
CPSMA general secretary Eileen Flynn said the role of the patron was limited.
"In all schools, irrespective of who is patron, complete responsibility for running the schools rests with the board of management," she said.
"Principals and teachers are trained professionals and any person -- without exception -- who comes to a school can only meet pupils under the supervision of a teacher. The department's inspectorate monitors the requirement that each school have its own child protection policy."
Writing in today's Irish Independent, the head of the newly established Catholic Schools Partnership, Fr Michael Drumm, said some people were using the current crisis in the church leadership to try and orchestrate change.
"To date no school has sought a change in its Catholic patronage; in fact, the trend has been the other way, with some existing schools wanting to come under such patronage," he said.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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