Single-faith schools in spotlight at Dublin meeting

The future of single faith schools will come under the spotlight today at a conference in Dublin.

The Iona Institute will come to the defence of the denominational facilities, which are currently the subject of an intense debate.

School principals and teachers, members of Catholic educational bodies, officials from the Department of Education, and members of the general public will attend the event in Booterstown.

The Institute and The Word magazine are co-hosting the conference, which is titled in defence of denominational education.

Organisers at the Christian organisation said they will address claims that the schools cause social segregation and that their role must be reassessed in newly multi-ethnic, multi-religious Ireland.

Guest speakers include Michael McGrath, of the Scottish Catholic Education Service, and Oona Stannard, of the Catholic Education Service England & Wales.