27/06/2008

Archbishop Willing To Relinquish Control Of Schools

The Archbishop of Dublin has said he is prepared to surrender their Catholic patronage of some primary schools - if that is what parents want.

Speaking at an education conference in Dublin today, Diarmuid Martin said he believed ways could be found to extend the role of other patronage models.

He said he had no ambition to be in charge of schools against the will of parents.

"My interest is in providing Catholic education for those parents who want it for their children.

"In regard to existing Catholic schools, I believe there are ways of achieving a structured divesting of some of those schools.

"I would like to see it done in a particular area where you would end up creating a broad mix where parents would have different alternatives, including Catholic schools," he said.

The Catholic Church currently controls more than 3,000 of the State's 3,200 primary schools.

Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe told the conference the new model of community national school being piloted from next September would seek to meet the need for plurality of provision.

The conference is discussing new ways to manage primary schools in an increasingly multicultural and secular Ireland.

(DW)

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