Archbishop's education plan welcomed [irishtimes.com]
- Published: 18 June 2009
TAOISEACH Brian Cowen will consider a call from Archbishop Diarmuid Martin for a national forum to consider a breakdown of who should run primary schools in the future.
Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe agreed that the forum proposal was worth examining, but displayed little enthusiasm.
Mr Cowen said he welcomed Dr Martin's general approach and views on the issue and would study the speech he made this week in detail.
Dr Martin has suggested a forum of all interested parties to sketch a vision for primary school patronage in light of Ireland's increasingly multicultural society.
The archbishop restated that the Catholic Church is not interested in retaining control of the 93pc of primary schools where it currently acts as patron, a dominance he described as "untenable".
The debate on school patronage has intensified in the aftermath of the Ryan report which graphically detailed the abuse suffered by hundreds of children in religious-run institutions.
Raising the issue in the Dail yesterday, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore claimed Dr Martin was "far ahead" of the Government on the matter of creating new models of school management, which would provide for parental choice and reflect the diversity of life in today's Ireland.
"As chief patron of Catholic schools in the Dublin Archdiocese, the archbishop's openness to consider different governance structures has been refreshing," he said.
The Taoiseach rejected claims he was attempting to "kick the issue to touch".
"A speech was made yesterday and I have not had the opportunity yet to read it. I do not make up policy on the basis of not having read what a person has to say," Mr Cowen said.
A spokesperson for Mr O'Keeffe pointed out that the department had a history of consulting and would continue to do so, including on the issue of school patronage.
He said the department intended making further contact with Archbishop Martin.
