Bishops get 6 months to respond on patronage

Catholic bishops have been given six months to respond to the demand for alternative primary schools in five specific areas where the Department of Education conducted a survey among parents.

The deadline has been set by Ruairi Quinn, the education minister, after publishing a report on the five pilot surveys, while parents in a further 39 areas will be asked for their views on primary patronage.

The report contains the attitudes of parents of 2,544 primary pupils and 915 pre-school children, and recommends school buildings be freed up to allow an Educate Together school be set up in each of the five areas.