A chara, – For decades now it has been widely known that there are not enough school places to meet demand in a few areas.
Instead of addressing the problem, the Government essentially ignored it and allowed it to be hijacked by those who wished to undermine our denominational school system.
Whether the current proposals to discriminate against Catholic schools, by making them the only faith community that cannot give priority to their children, will prove to be legally sustainable – or, indeed, if Catholic voters, of whom there are many, will find such blatant discrimination something they are willing to accept – remains to be seen.
But one thing is certain: all the fiddling with admissions policies in the world will not add one school place to the system and the underlying problem of a shortage of places in some areas will remain. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.
A chara, – The elephant is still in the room, despite the recent attempt by the Minister for Education and Skills to address the perceived “baptism barrier” to entry into schools.
The recent objections to initiatives by the Minister, including divestment, school uniforms and the book rental scheme, are symptomatic of the outmoded model of subsidiarity, where the State hands over responsibility to patrons to manage our education system.
Is it not ironic that the paymaster has to coax and cajole those to whom he has divested responsibility to introduce initiatives to reflect economic and societal changes that affect the taxpayer?
Expect further delays, given that there are almost 20 patrons of primary schools in Ireland. – Yours, etc,
SEÁN Ó DÍOMASAIGH,
Kiltale,
Dunsany,
Co Meath.
Sir, – Surely it is quite obvious that the solution to the problem is for the State to ensure that all schools that it funds are run as secular schools.
This may well need a referendum to amend the Constitution, and if so, then so be it.
Religion is a personal matter, and if parents feel strongly enough about their faith and the transmission of it to their children, then they should have no quibble with indoctrinating them at home or through the operation of voluntary faith schools.
What’s the problem? Ireland is a republic, and the year is 2017. – Yours, etc,
GEAROID KILGALLEN,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.