Bishops signal reduced role in primary education

CATHOLIC bishops have signalled that the Church’s involvement in the future running of primary schools may be reduced.

The Catholic Church had no desire to be the sole provider of education for whole communities, the chair of the Bishops’ Commission for Education, Bishop Leo O’Reilly said yesterday.

The Church, however, still wants to be able to respond to the desire of those parents wanting a Catholic education for their children.

The Catholic bishops are currently patrons to a little more than 90% of Ireland’s primary schools.

In a policy statement just published, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference emphasises that the Church remains committed to providing Catholic schools.

“Therefore, the children of Catholic parents have first claim on admission to Catholic schools,” it states.

Such schools, however, will continue to welcome children of other faiths and none wherever possible, in keeping with their ethos, provided the places and resources are available.

The reality of pluralism means that some parishes are experiencing huge inflows of new residents — a situation that puts an unfair financial burden on them, the document points out. Some parish schools have seen a doubling or trebling of pupils in a number of years.

The bishops’ document, Catholic Primary Schools — a Policy for Provision into the Future, also warns that it may not be viable to continue to have a Catholic school where, historically, there were large numbers of parents wanting one.

“In such a situation an evaluation will have to be made in consultation with parents and teachers about the future of such a school,” the document states. It may be necessary to enter into new patronage arrangements provided they respected the rights of Catholic parents.

It also pointed out that demographic changes and factors such as pluralism of religious belief may make it impracticable for the parish to provide a Catholic school for its children. In such a situation Catholic parents, like parents of other denominations, have a right to take their children to a school of their own denomination.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael’s education spokesman Brian Hayes has called for a national forum to debate the issue. “The Catholic Church could not expect to continue the privileged position it had enjoyed for more than 150 years while pursuing a selective agenda at the same time,” he said.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin said public consultation on the production of area development that determined where and what kind of schools were needed took place at local level.