This is a chance to create a system that suits all Irish citizens

THE newly-announced Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector will change primary education in Ireland. But is the minister’s target of 1,500 schools transferring to new patronage achievable? If it is, what will all these schools transform into and what will it mean for parents?

At present, primary education in Ireland is mainly delivered through the Catholic Church, which manages about 90% of all primary schools. Over the last 20 years, demand for alternatives to faith schools has grown significantly. Yet, today, only 2% of primary schools offer multi-denominational education. All stakeholders in education agree this situation is untenable and there is a pressing need to bring balance to available school choice for parents. The issue is now even a human rights question for Ireland at the UN.

However, we cannot afford to meet the demand for multi-denominational education school places by building hundreds of schools. New thinking is needed. Mr Quinn’s initiative has created the forum for change and his October deadline places an urgency on the process rarely seen in Irish education.