Coughlan rejects proposal for forum on patronage in primary schools [IrishTimes]
- Published: 07 May 2010
ESTABLISHING A national forum on patronage in primary schools has been ruled out by Minister for Education Mary Coughlan.
She was replying to Labour spokesman Ruairí Quinn who asked if she would establish, without prejudice, a forum as suggested by Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin. Mr Quinn said that the Catholic Church was the patron of 92 per cent of all existing 3,175 ordinary primary schools in the State.
When Ms Coughlan, in her first question time as Minister for Education, read a lengthy formal reply, Mr Quinn remarked: “it did not take them long to house train you.” He said the reply was the most disappointing he had heard from someone with the Minister’s experience and maturity.
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