Changes in school patronage will be cost-neutral, says Quinn

ANY changes to the patronage of schools will have to be managed in a way that is cost-neutral, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has warned.

Any recommendations from the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, which was formally launched yesterday, could not be implemented if they come at a significant cost, said Mr Quinn.

He predicted that only about 50% of primary schools will be under the patronage of the Catholic Church in the near future, compared with the current 95%. However, he acknowledged the figure would not be 50% in every parish.