Christian Brothers to hand over 130 schools by 2008
The work has been going on for around two years to pass responsibility for the 29 primary and 109 second-level schools to a lay trust, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST).
Although it will be run predominantly by non-clerics, the aim is that the ethos of the Christian Brothers will be maintained in the schools to which it will act as trustee.
Br John Heneghan, who has been working on the trust’s establishment, said more steps have yet to be taken.
“The bishops and the Vatican will have a say in this. We’re a pontifical congregation and we’re directly under the Vatican so there are a number of bodies that must be consulted,” he said.
“We’ll be asking the Vatican to approve a new structure to devolve responsibility for the schools we have and give recognition to that new body. We’ll be asking the same thing of the department and we’ll want the same recognition to be given to the trust,” Br Heneghan told RTÉ Radio News at One yesterday.
He said approaches have already been made to the Department of Education and consultations have yet to take place with Education Minister Mary Hanafin.
The move to hand over the operation of the schools is in line with other religious orders with ageing congregations, which have very few members still teaching in their schools.
The Loreto, Presentation and Mercy sisters are all making plans for the schools under their trusteeships to pass into lay control.
