Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has criticised the tone of debate around the divestment of schools in the primary sector, insisting that “Catholic education is not poison, as one might sometimes get the impression from certain debates.”

Delivering a homily at the Pro-Cathedral for the annual Schools Mass, Dr Martin, a supporter of greater choice in the education sector, defended a continued place for Catholic schools in any new vision of that sector.

Pointing out that international bodies have levelled criticisms at Ireland for its lack of choice for children of non-faith parents, the Archbishop stressed that the same bodies “do not criticise Irish religious and denominational education as such”.

“[Critics] say that publicly funded education should contain no traces of denominational education. But if parents, the primary educators, wish their children to receive education with a robust religious ethos, why should a pluralist society exclude support for their decision?”