Plans for a standalone course to teach primary pupils about world religions and ethics may be hampered by a law that gives a school patron tight control on what can be taught.

Education Minister Richard Bruton’s plans to tackle problems caused for parents by links between religion and school enrolments have received a very mixed reaction.

A group representing Catholic primary schools is insisting there is no baptism requirement for their school places.

The Catholic Church is set to make a “gesture” towards admitting pupils to its primary schools in Dublin based on location and regardless of their religious affiliation.

Primary school teachers have called on the Government to suspend the final phase of the cuts to teaching numbers in smaller schools.

The Education Minister Ruairi Quinn is expected to address the issue of the Catholic Church's ownership of primary schools at the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association's AGM today.

Half of primary schools are now dependent on contributions from parents to balance the books.

Parents and school boards have criticised the move to use primary school budgets to part-reverse cuts to teacher numbers at disadvantaged schools.

THE most vulnerable students will suffer the hardest from the latest round of education cutbacks detailed in the Government’s four-year national recovery plan, it has been claimed.

THE next move towards handing over patronage of some primary schools has been left up to Catholic bishops after the identification of 43 areas where there is potential to give up control.

MOVES to begin the firsthandover of some Catholic primary schools to other patrons is to begin shortly but Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe has been urged to ensure parents and other interested parties are fully consulted.

Education chiefs are targeting 10 urban areas where the number of Catholic primary schools will be cut, it was revealed today.

PRIMARY school managers have issued an urgent appeal to the Government to raise spending on their schools amid fears that further financial cutbacks could cause huge damage to the education of future generations.

RULES for interviewing primary school job applicants may be reviewed after a record award to a female teacher for gender discrimination by her school.