Educational body in ‘crisis mode’ over lack of funds

THE organisation which oversees the country’s 39 multi-denominational primary schools has warned that it is in “crisis mode” over lack of Government funding and may have to lay off half of its staff.

The warning comes as the National Parents Council calls on the Government to offer more school choice, citing increasing numbers of children from multicultural backgrounds or whose parents are not practicing Catholics.

Educate Together schools are in demand. The Griffen Valley School in Lucan has 3,000 children on its waiting list alone. New schools are being developed in Baldoyle, Letterkenny, Wexford, Galway, Blessington and Leixlip. Educate Together is seeking €500,000 a year in Government funding and presently receives €42,000 a year.