An interim report arising from the recent difficulties at Gaelscoil Thulach na nOg, in Dunboyne, Co Meath, has recommended that a convention on interdenominational education be set up by the school's patron body An Foras Patrunachta.
An important preliminary step, it said, which would "need to be initiated as a matter of urgency ahead of any convention", was to ascertain "the commitment of the churches to both the ideal and the implementation of an interdenominational ethos".
The report also recommended that an education office be set up by An Foras Patrunachta, which would "support in a visible and practical manner the implementation of the characteristic spirit" in schools under its patronage.
The report, which was funded by the Department of Education and Science, was commissioned by An Foras Patrunachta and prepared by Mr Luke Monahan and Mr Martin Daly of the Centre for Education Services at the Marino Institute. They were invited to do so last April by Mr Lorcan MacGabhann, cathaoirleach of An Foras Patrunachta.
His decision arose from a bitter dispute between then school principal at Dunboyne, Mr Tomas Ó Dulaing, and the school board of management over Mr Ó Dulaing's decision that religion be taught outside school hours. Mr Ó Dulaing was sacked last July and the board of management has since disbanded.
Responding to the report yesterday Mr MacGabhann said An Foras Patrunachta was planning a national convention on inter-denominational education after Christmas.
He also said an advisory committee was being set up to give direction on interdenominational education. And he announced the appointment of Mr Gearóid Ó Maoilmhichíl as temporary manager at the school. He is former president of the National Youth Council of Ireland and a member of the National Education Welfare Board.
Following an investigation into how the interdenominational ethos, as defined by An Foras Patrunachta, was implemented, the report found relationships between relevant parties were "clouded by a lack of clarity in terms of authority, role and responsibility".
This clouding had "contributed to the confusion of expectation at every level in terms of what influence each partner has and how consequently different parties acted", it said.
On communication it was clear that "no matter how convinced one party may have been of their clarity, there is a real perception with other parties that clarity is not present.
"The presence of such perceptions is very strong and cannot be dismissed if progress is to be made. The 'handling' of communication has in our view contributed to the difficulties as much as the content of any particular communication - however unintentional," it said.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation said: "This report shows clearly that Tomas Ó Dulaing should not have been dismissed and justifies his immediate reinstatement."
