Church to consider school patronage move

THE next move towards handing over patronage of some primary schools has been left up to Catholic bishops after the identification of 43 areas where there is potential to give up control.

However, it is likely to be at least two years before any schools may change hands as a major consultation process gets under way.

The Department of Education has identified a number of towns after the hierarchy requested its help in finding where there might be most pressing demand for non-Catholic schools.