Bishop seeks to diffuse school enrolments row

The Bishop of Cork and Ross John Buckley has invited the boards of management of three Cork city schools to a meeting to try to diffuse the row over plans by one of the schools to start enrolling junior infants.

In recent days Scoil Mhuire Fatima North Monastery has been criticised by two other schools, North Presentation and St Vincent’s, for its decision to expand beyond its policy of enrolling boys from second to sixth classes only.

The plan does not have the required approval of school patron Catholic bishop, John Buckley. He has now said he wants to get the sides together and that he will recommend to the Department of Education any proposal which has the support of all three schools.