Organisations query Richard Bruton's plan for school patronage

Organisations working for religious freedom in State-funded schools have questioned Education Minister Richard Bruton’s preference for a model of primary school that keeps religion lessons in the classroom.

Educate Together, which runs 77 non-denominational schools, and campaign group Education Equality say there is no demand among parents for the community national schools model. They claim it reinforces differences between children by segregating them for religious instruction.

Mr Bruton is planning 400 new primary schools by 2030 through the creation of additional schools and the transfer of patronage of schools from the Catholic Church to other bodies which may be multi- or non-denominational.