The Government is bracing itself for potential legal challenges for plans to remove the right of some denominational schools to give preference to members of their own faith in admissions to their own schools.
Minister for Education Richard Bruton is due to bring an amendment to school admissions legislation to Cabinet on Tuesday which would prohibit Catholic primary schools in particular, but not schools of other faiths or denominations, from giving enrolment priority to baptised children in cases where they are over-subscribed. While Mr Bruton announced the plans last year, the planned amendment has been subject to extensive legal advice from the Attorney General’s office.
The Irish Times reported earlier this year that Catholic bishops, trustee bodies for thousands of Catholic schools, along with management bodies and missionary groups, were preparing to fight the changes.
