This article is from page 6 of the 2013-02-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn has warned that it’s “unacceptable” that every national school in the Shannon and Newmarket-on-Fergus area remains under the patronage of a Christian Church.
Minister Quinn made his comments as the month-long school patronage survey close on Friday, just as fears have been raised locally that “pressure” was brought to bear on parents to demand that the status quo of eight Catholic schools remain in the Shannon and Newmarket-onFergus catchment.
“Ireland is a changed place and we have to reflect that change,” warned Minister Quinn, “so it’s simply not acceptable that 96 per cent of primary schools in the country be under the patronage of a Christian Church.
“The Shannon area has to play its part in that, so we have asked parents what kind of ethos they would like to have other than what’s already there. I would expect that in the Shannon region it’s not unreasonable to say of the eight Catholic schools, at least one of them should be in a position to be transferred by way of patronage to the Department of Education.
The eight Catholic schools in the survey area are Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire, Clonmoney and Stonehall in Newmarket-on-Fergus and Gaelscoil Donncha Rua, St Aidan’s, St Tola’s, St Senan’s and St Cronan’s in Shannon. A number of parents have complained that a letter circulated in Newmarket-on-Fergus amounted to pressure from the Catholic Church wanting three schools in the parish included in the survey to remain under Catholic control.
“The schools are rooted in the community and each one has its own distinct identity. A change of patronage would have major implications for staff, boards of management, parents and children,” the letter said.
The results of the survey of these schools will be made known to the Catholic authorities by the end of the month. The church authorities will then have to come back to the Department of Education within three months, ahead of a final resolution of the patronage issue by the end of the year.
“We want to reflect the change in Ireland and provide people with a choice,” said Minister Quinn. “We will assist the Catholic Church authorities in whatever way they want in identifying and selecting a school that could be reasonably transferred.
“In this day and age I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that one or two of those schools can’t change. If this is a true Republic and we accommodate and respect everyone equally. If this is the Banner County, where De Valera was elected for so many years, he would be to the forefront of a republican approach.”