More than a third of people want much greater access to co-educational and multi-denominational schools closer to their homes, according to a survey.
The findings are based on a national study commissioned by Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and undertaken by Behaviour & Attitudes last month.
However, the latest figures show 89 per cent of primary schools are Catholic (2,750), with around 5 per cent multidenominational (164) and the remainder minority faith schools.
Paddy Lavelle, general secretary of ETBI, said the choice for too many parents and students was limited to single-sex or religious-run schools. He said Government plans to provide more multidenominational education at primary level were moving "far too slowly".
He said there was “no real chance” of meeting its target of 400 multidenominational schools by the end of the decade at the current rate of progress.
Mr Lavelle said community national schools - a co-educational and multidenominational model under the patronage of State-run ETBs - could play a key role in expanding access to multidenominational schools.
“With the Government target of 400 multidenominational schools by 2030, ETBs are well positioned to run many of these new schools,” he said.
“Our schools are multidenominational, co-educational and State-run, and it will be important in the coming years for us to ensure parents and students nationwide are aware of this.”
Free provision
The survey results indicate that when deciding on education and training options, respondents placed the most importance on free provision (68 per cent), followed by proximity to their home (63 per cent), availability of primary and secondary school options that share the same ethos (54 per cent), co-education (53 per cent ), multidenominational (39 per cent), State-run (33 per cent), and Irish-language provision (26 per cent).
Mr Lavelle said the research shows the public’s preference for education provision that is community-based, free and co-educational.
The survey was conducted in January and was based on a nationally representative sample of 1,001 adults, aged 16 upwards.
The ETB sector runs a third of all secondary schools (250), is the largest provider of education through the medium of Irish and runs 27 community national schools.
ETBs are also responsible for post-Leaving Cert colleges, further education and training centres, community education and co-ordinating the growing apprenticeship sector.
