A small number of Catholic schools may transfer to new patrons later this year but the Department of Education expects others to follow suit in greater numbers over the next few years.

The Catholic Schools Partnership has questioned how schools can change patronage when the majority of parents in their areas want their child’s school to remain under the control of the Catholic Church.

Parents in 39 towns and city suburbs will be asked their views from next week on a choice of up to five alternative patrons to their local, Catholic-run, primary schools.

Catholic bishops have been given six months to respond to the demand for alternative primary schools in five specific areas where the Department of Education conducted a survey among parents.

Schools should be allowed to decide on the right balance between their religious ethos and the rights of staff despite plans to give legal protection to gay or divorced teachers, a Catholic schools leader has said.

Churches have serious concerns about the religious identity of their schools as a result of moves to make them more inclusive, a Catholic schools leader said.

The timescale for the first hand-overs of Catholic schools in areas where parents want more choice will be revealed by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn today.

Plans to overhaul the system of religious patronage in primary schools was broadly welcomed yesterday, with many claiming it was merely the start of a process of change.

Strong differences persist about religious teaching and the dominance of church patrons in schools ahead of the publication of a major report on the issues in the coming weeks.

EXPERTS appointed to oversee Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector are finalising draft policy proposals.

CATHOLIC primary schools are to be asked to consider if they might hand control to another patron — though both the timeframe and the number of schools which might change hands remain unclear.

THE opportunity to create a greater choice of schools for parents was lost during the boom, a Catholic education leader has claimed.

A NEW academic year begins.

THE decision on whether or which schools should be divested to new patrons should not be decided by a simple local vote, parents and Catholic bishops appeared to agree yesterday.

TWO years ago, a friend of mine moved house. She and her husband are living in south-east London. Their son was three years of age, and another son was on the way.

LEGAL changes to allow vocational education committees become patrons of primary schools face delay as the control of schools comes under close scrutiny.

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.

CATHOLIC Church representatives have said reports that up to 50% of Catholic schools will be transferred to other patrons under a new Government initiative are “way over the top”.

Pilot schemes should be set up to assess the transferral of Catholic schools to non-denominational bodies, church representatives have said.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn TD, has welcomed today’s position paper from the Catholic Schools Partnership and its consultation process in relation to the patronage of primary schools.

Ruairí Quinn’s moves to transfer some Catholic schools to other patrons has been well received, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray

AMBITIOUS plans by Education Minister Ruairí Quinn to transfer up to half of Catholic primary schools to new patrons from early next year have been broadly welcomed.

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.