Pressure building toward progress

Ruairí Quinn’s moves to transfer some Catholic schools to other patrons has been well received, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray

THE targets may be ambitious but Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s signal soon after being appointed last month that he wants to see half the primary schools under Catholic control transferred to other patrons has been warmly greeted.

The Catholic bishops, who are patrons to 90% of the country’s 3,165 primary schools, have welcomed the Forum on Patronage and Plurality in Primary Schools and agreed to participate and some of the impetus has already come from within the hierarchy.