Clash looms over church demand for new schools [Independent.ie]
- Published: 09 August 2010
THE Catholic Church is demanding new primary schools in developing urban areas in return for handing over schools elsewhere.
The move is revealed in confidential church submissions to a Department of Education working group, which have been seen by the Irish Independent.
The disclosure follows the publication last week of a list of 43 areas where the department feels there are too many Catholic schools.
The documents link the transfer of some of these schools to a demand for schools in new areas -- a trade-off that some predict will lead to a church-state row.
One document, prepared jointly by the bishops and Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA), makes clear the church's willingness to trade schools in new areas for old ones.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
John Walshe: Debate about religion in our classrooms really hotting up [Independent.ie]
- Published: 09 August 2010
WHO now speaks for the Catholic Church in education? The submissions revealed today don't quite chime with the conciliatory sounds made by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, who was one of the first to say there were too many Catholic schools in this country.
Nor do they fit in well with the more nuanced approach adopted on radio last week by a new voice for the church, Fr Michael Drumm, chair of the recently established Catholic School Partnership.
"It's a case of one step forward, two steps back," a close observer who has read the documents remarked last night.
Another interpretation was that they represent the opening bargaining position of a church that knows it has to give up schools in a relatively modest number of towns and parts of the cities, but which is determined not to be left out of developments in new areas.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Time for parents to ask the primary question [IrishTimes]
- Published: 07 August 2010
Divesting some schools could be liberating for the Catholic Church, writes BREDA O'BRIEN
SO, THE process of divesting some primary schools of Catholic patronage has finally begun. It is an important moment, not just for parents and educators, but for the future of Irish society.
Irish society is no longer as homogenous as it once was, but that is no bad thing if we learn to deal with our differences in an atmosphere of respect. If handled well, this dialogue could provide a model for helping us to face other challenges.
It is an opportunity for a real debate about the values, virtues and attitudes we want for our young people and for education.
It is important to remember that we are not talking about dismantling a failed system. By many criteria, including structure, management and maintenance of discipline, Irish primary schools are judged internationally to function exceptionally well, particularly in spite of decades of under-funding.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Thousands face delay in back-to-school aid [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 06 August 2010
TENS of thousands of families may be waiting weeks after their children return to school before getting state help with the cost of uniforms.
As a new survey shows the cost of educating a child from primary through to third level has risen almost 4.5% to €70,000 in the last year, figures from the Health Service Executive (HSE) show that less than half of applications for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance have been finalised to date.
They were released to the Labour Party a week ago, even though the HSE told the Irish Examiner yesterday morning that no details were yet available on the numbers of applications or processed claims.
Labour TD Joanna Tuffy revealed in a lunchtime statement that figures given in reply to questions from her colleague Ruairi Quinn last week show that almost 122,000 claims had so far been submitted to HSE community welfare officers for the allowance.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
The jumping cost of education [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 August 2010
Funding the education has become a crippling cost for most households. It is so expensive that it is probably the second biggest outlay for the majority of families after a mortgage.
Research by the Bank of Ireland in conjunction with parent resource schooldays.ie shows the cost of educating a child from primary school through to college at around €70,000.
Putting it that way makes the costs seem horrendous and must make families whose children have yet to enter on to the schools system wonder how they will afford it.
Of course these costs are incremental -- you do not have to shell out all that money in advance. Instead it is paid out in dribs and drabs, however, is nonetheless a huge drain on the family budget.
The research found that the cost of putting a child through primary school is about €13,000. For secondary school an outlay of €14,100 is required, with third level costs at €42,000, a figure that excludes the muted re-introduction of college fees.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
