Parents in 38 more towns and suburbs around the country are to be asked whether they want some of the Catholic school in their areas to be handed over to another patron body.

Parents of all children up to 12 years in the 38 areas, which encompasses 311 schools, will be asked by the Department of Education whether they want change, and which patron they would like to see running their local primary schools, The Irish Independent reports.  

The 38 towns and suburbs have stable populations and little prospect of any new school opening, so the only way to offer choice is to transfer the patronage of existing schools.

Department of Education officials said that the last survey of parents showed that there was demand for the handing over of patronage of one Catholic school in each of the five areas surveyed, Castlebar, Arklow, Castlebar, Tramore, Trim and Whitehall in Dublin.

However the method used to survey parents in the five areas was criticised by the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Bishops’ Council for Education said that only a small minority of parents took part in the survey in the five areas.

Fr Michael Drumm estimated that at most a quarter of parents took part in the survey on the basis of the figures provided in the Department’s report on the survey, published last month.

Between 37pc and 50pc of those who did take part said they wanted a greater choice of patronage, and about a third said they would avail of new choices if they existed.

However, Fr Drumm pointed out that this meant less than 10 percent of all parents of primary or pre-primary school children in the five areas would use a new school if given the chance.

The Council’s statement said that the survey provided “significant affirmation of Catholic schools”.  

“In looking to the future it is clear that a very large number of parents wish to have their children educated in Catholic schools,” it said.  

The bodies that have indicated a desire to take over a school in the areas are Vocational Education Committees (VECs), which have developed the Community National School model, the Irish language patron body, An Foras Patrunachta, Educate Together, and, in a small number of areas, the National Learning Network, which deals with pupils with special needs, and the Nigerian-based Redeemed Christian Church of God.

The surveys in the latest areas is now live on www.education.ie, and will continue until February 8. Paper-based versions of the survey are also available on request

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said it was “an historic opportunity” for parents to have a real say in the type of school their children attend.