A priest at the centre of abuse allegations has refused to leave his parochial house in a diocese recently praised for having the best child protection measures in the country.

RUAIRÍ QUINN’S plan to transfer some 50% of Catholic primary schools to a different model of patronage will prove as fraught with pitfalls as it may be historic. The minister will have his work cut out if he wants to even partially realise his vision during the lifetime of this Dáil.

THE ownership of eight Presentation Brothers’ schools has been taken over by a board of lay trustees. They include seven Cork schools.

CATHOLIC schools are to hold firm to their religious ethos despite the growing numbers of children from other faiths — or no faith — on their enrolment.

FIVE religious orders have handed over the trusteeship of more than 100 second level schools to a lay organisation in a landmark move in the Irish education system.