Parents involved in the row over the potential divestment of a Catholic school in North County Dublin have reacted with fury to their portrayal in the media and political debate.

Cliodna Gilroy, who has two children at St Marnock’s National School, told Dublin Live, “this is being portrayed in the media as though we’re thick as pigsh*t and all we’re worried about is Christmas being cancelled. It’s not that simple. Is it right that my kids could be discriminated against because they’re Catholic?”

She said the ethos of the school means a lot more than religion and added: “So please don’t just assume that the Church – who again have not been present at any meetings parents have had in relation to this – are scaremongering slack-jawed yokels.

“It’s insulting, it’s disingenuous and it’s plain cynical”

Minister for Education, Joe McHugh, put out a statement that Christmas won’t be ignored by other patron bodies. However, Educate Together schools do not hold nativity plays or sing hymns, and neither Educate Together nor ETB schools do sacramental preparation in school time.

Meanwhile, Howth Malahide Area Committee Meeting of Fingal County Council passed a motion calling for parents and stakeholders to be fully consulted.

Labour councillor, Brian McDonough, who proposed the motion, also rapped the Department of Education for failing to properly inform parents and for proposing far too tight a timeframe to make the change.