Religious orders hand over 100 schools to lay groups

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.

The historic step is the culmination of a decade’s work by the Daughters of Charity, Presentation Sisters, Sisters of the Christian Retreat, the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy and the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

While the day-to-day running of the 112 Catholic voluntary secondary schools will remain with their individual boards of management, their trusteeship is now being exercised by a new charitable company.