School plan not thought through [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 March 2010
NOT long ago, as preparations for the reduction of the number of primary schools under the patronage of Catholic bishops began, a wise man warned that change would need to be thought through carefully.
Fr Michael Drumm, chairperson of the Catholic Schools Partnership, pointed out that a primary school system rooted in local communities, serving a diverse population at little or no cost to the State in terms of patronage and management, was an invaluable social asset and would be all too easy to tear apart.
That was last November, when Catholic bishops met department officials who subsequently undertook to identify places in which a surplus of Catholic schools might suggest a need for a change of school patronage.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Fine Gael And Labour Reaction: Opposition Urges Establishment Of National Forum On School Patronage [IrishTimes]
- Published: 06 March 2010
Education spokesmen for the two main Opposition parties have called for a national forum on school patronage, while the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation has said detailed public debate and consultation is needed on planned changes in education. They were responding to the speech by Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe in Dublin yesterday at the agm of the Catholic Primary School Management Association.
Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes said “many parents will feel that a deal between the Catholic Church and the State has been done behind their backs following Minister O’Keeffe’s statement”.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Series of 'turf wars' to erupt over control [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 March 2010
EDUCATION Minister Batt O'Keeffe could unwittingly unleash a series of 'turf wars' over the control of individual primary schools around the country.
Take, for example, a Dublin suburb with five Catholic schools, two in the middle-class area, one in an area of mixed social housing and two in working-class areas.
How do you decide which school or schools to hand over?
Full Story: www.independent.ie
O'Keeffe move on schools must be start of process [labour.ie]
- Published: 05 March 2010
The Labour Party Spokesperson on Education, Ruairi Quinn TD, has welcomed the announcement from the Minister for Education that his Department will shortly be releasing details of ten urban areas where it believes that there is a surplus of Catholic schools and a need for some of them to shut down.
“I hope that this move is an indication that the government is at least beginning to accept that there is now a compelling case for moving towards a new system of patronage that takes account of changing views in regard to religion and education.
Full Story: www.labour.ie
Aim to cut Catholic primary schools [Independent.ie]
- Published: 05 March 2010
Education chiefs are targeting 10 urban areas where the number of Catholic primary schools will be cut, it has been revealed.
Bishops and local communities will get the final say on the need for church-run schools and whether closures will take place.
Education minister Batt O`Keeffe told the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) AGM that the aim of the review was to meet demands for religion-linked teaching.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
