IPPN

CHILDREN of more than 100 different nationalities are being taught in primary schools in the Dublin Diocese, it was revealed yesterday.

Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin said he had initiated a dialogue with the leaders of other faiths in the capital to ensure the needs of all children in Catholic schools are attended to.

As he launched a new intercultural web resource for teachers, Archbishop Martin said he had begun the dialogue to ensure children are never the objects of discrimination or marginalisation.

"We have the possibility of leading the way, rather than waiting to react to tensions should they occur," he said. "What happens in schools will help other initiatives within Irish society."

Crosscare, the social services arm of the Dublin Diocese, developed their new web resource, Celebrating Difference, in association with the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO).

The free resource is the first of its kind in the country.

Aimed at highlighting and celebrating intercultural differences in Ireland today, the web resource is designed to help primary school teachers encourage children's curiosity and create a desire to explore our similarities and differences.

Teachers and pupils from St Patrick's in Drumcondra have been using the resource on a pilot basis.

The website started out over 10 years ago as a highly successful teachers' resource pack, which concentrated on Travellers and has now been further developed to include "new Irish" minorities.

Pat Brady, programme manager of the Crosscare project, said the website could prove essential for teachers.

"Special emphasis has been put on Ireland's new minorities, without losing sight of our own indigenous minority, Travellers," he said. "The new site represented years of preparatory work by its three co-authors, Ms Sile Nunan, president of the INTO, and teachers Michael O'Reilly and Brendan Hyland."

Archbishop Martin also launched the new upgraded website for Crosscare, which will give wide ranging information on the agency's 14 work programmes in the Dublin Diocese, including its ongoing work in community education, drugs awareness, teen counselling and poverty.

Click here to access the article on the Irish Examiner website