Catholic schools ‘face closure’ over funding

Religious-owned secondary schools risk possible closure unless the Government reviews their less favourable public funding, a Catholic education group has said.

The Catholic Schools Partnership said a review of the curricular and financial realities facing schools should take place as part of a restructuring needed in the relationship between voluntary secondary schools and the State.

Religious-owned secondary schools make up just over half of all 723 second-level schools, but their numbers have been declining in the last 30 years due to closures and amalgamations. The CSP says most Catholic secondary schools are not viable without fundraising, and at levels which are not sustainable by charitable and voluntary organisations.