Primary schools to find out next week if parents want to drop religious ethos

The vast majority of primary schools (88.3%) remain under Catholic patronage, with local bishops acting as patrons. File picture

All primary schools will next week receive their individualised reports on the preferences of local parents on changing or maintaining its ethos. 

It marks the next steps following a landmark survey earlier this year suggesting strong demand for more multi-denominational education amongst parents.

The first national primary school survey, launched last November, found that 40% of parents with children attending religious-run schools do not wish to retain their school's religious ethos. It collected data from 200,000 households that took part.

Results are expected to vary depending on individual schools, and how many parents took part. 

The survey also found many parents favour a move towards co‑education, and more Irish-medium education. The vast majority of primary schools (88.3%) remain under Catholic patronage, with local bishops acting as patrons.

A further 6.2% operate under other denominations, mainly Church of Ireland, while just 5.5% of schools are multi-denominational, and operate under non-religious patrons. 

The Department of Education is targeting September 2027 for the first changes to schools to be rolled out, following consultation with parents, boards of management and patrons. 

Later this month, all school-specific reports will be published online by the department. Schools will also receive "detailed explanatory information" from the department next week, on how to interpret results, and how to engage with parents. 

It will also provide examples of what may constitute "a clear mandate for change, or a clear mandate for maintaining existing arrangements", according to the department. 

The first schools interested in progressing changes will be asked to notify both the department and their patron by October 31, 2026. 

Minister for education Hildegarde Naughton said the survey results "are intended to support meaningful local engagement and informed decision-making at school level”.

Decisions about the future direction of schools should be led by school communities themselves, she added. 

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"It is important that schools are given the time and space to reflect carefully on their results and to engage fully with parents and the wider school communities before making decisions. 

"Where the survey results indicate demand for change, the decisions on whether a school wishes to be included in the first phase of schools progressing changes should be made locally, following consultation and engagement with the community."

• Jess Casey is education correspondent for the Irish Examiner