Two primary schools in Dublin are to pilot a new admissions policy which will, for the first time, allocate places specially for children with non-Catholic backgrounds.
The Archdiocese of Dublin, patron of the two west Dublin schools, has approved a policy that will accommodate the significant number of immigrant families in the area.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
Population growth and the lack of any new school places in the immediate area, has led to "huge pressure" on school places in St Patrick's and St Mochta's national schools, the archdiocese said today.
Demand by parents for places in both schools has consistently exceeded availability.
From September, children from Catholic backgrounds will be offered up to two thirds of the places available and the remaining one third will be offered to children of other faiths and none.
"As is the practice in other schools refusal will be only on the basis of age, determined by the number of applicants," the archdiocese said.
The schools' patron, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, said the schools would maintain their "clear Catholic ethos and identity".
But he said he was also anxious to ensure they would continue to be good examples of integration in a developing area whose growing population has outstripped available services, particularly in education.
"In the absence of an adequate number of school places in the area and of sufficient alternative patronage models, the parish has been left to cope with a burgeoning young population, with a significant number of immigrant families," Archbishop Martin said.
"This is a developing situation for all of us, and I am pleased that the Catholic schools have shown and will continue to show leadership in welcoming new communities."
Parish priest Fr John Daly said he was extremely hopeful that the pilot system will help address school accommodation problems in the locality.
"We have to be realistic and make the best possible use of what is available to us," he said.
Fr Daly said he and the schools' principals and staff wanted to ensure the best possible social, ethnic and religious mix in their schools.
The archdiocese said the policy will be re-examined next year in the light of demographic developments and of the provision of schools under other patronage bodies in this area.
Dr Martin said he hoped all schools in the area would examine their policies in the light of the current demographic make up of Porterstown/Clonsilla.
The Archbishop recently called for an "open and honest debate" on the future of the school system in the State.
He said many Irish people were "quietly opting out of integration by sending their children to schools with low levels of diversity".