The pace of divestment of patronage of Catholic schools has been described as “disappointing” by the former chair of the Forum of Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary sector.
Speaking to The Irish Times newspaper, Professor John Coolahan, whose report to Government in 2012 set in train efforts to shift some religious schools to alternative patronage, contended that while his forum had attempted to “encourage a generous spirit where existing patrons were concerned” on the issue, “overall, the situation is disappointing when it comes to divestment”.
Prof. Coolahan went on to describe the slow pace of change as “serious” as, he asserted: “We have a 19th-century-schools system which is out of keeping with the needs of a 21st-century society.”
Accusing the Irish bishops of “not reading the signs of the times or seeing what’s best in their own interests”, Prof. Coolahan singled out Dublin’s Archbishop Martin as the one figure who had shown willingness to engage with the divestment process, and said “one would love to see other bishops doing likewise”, adding, “I would have expected more where the Christian ethos is so strong”.
The professor went on to warn of “conflict down the line” if the primary schools divestment issue was not adequately addressed, going so far as to suggest that a referendum towards Constitutional change might become necessary “if there is no change in current attitudes”.
In his comments to The Irish Times, Prof. Coolahan also mentioned a Department of Education study which had examined demand for alternative patron models in towns with five or six schools and said that despite this study being undertaken at the Bishops’ request, no further action had been taken by them subsequently. However, the study has already been challenged by Fr Michael Drumm of the Catholic Schools Partnership, who pointed out after its release in 2012 that only 25% of parents in areas surveyed responded to the study, while of that figure, just 10% cited any interest in a change of patronage. This year, the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) insisted that the majority of Irish parents want current school patronage to remain unaffected.
Speaking to The Irish Times in August, Fr Brendan Hoban of the ACP said that it was clear to priests on the ground that parents, who have a strong stake in their local school and often fundraise to improve facilities, have “no intention of handing over their local school to anyone”.
Fr Hoban said a misplaced “presumption in media circles” held that “the only impediment to resolving the situation is for the very bold Catholic Church to do the bidding of Atheist Ireland and those who imagine Irish parents are waiting with bated breath for a religion-less, spirituality-neutral system of education.”
Meanwhile, amid the ongoing debate over denominational schools offering places to pupils on a faith-basis, the Irish Primary Principal Network (IPPN) has proposed a quota of unbaptised children or those from minority faiths to address the issue currently affecting about 20% of denominational primary schools currently oversubscribed.
