Madam, - Mary Hanafin's, Fianna Fáil's and this Government's (including a PD wing which set out to end church/State cosy arrangements) refusal to see the problems in setting up schools has now come to haunt her and them. But it is more serious for those who cannot get their children into schools. It has been coming for years and they were told by many, including the UN and INTO it seems, but Mary and her Government still refuse to see that while we have a denominational system of education, particularly in primary schools, and not a national one, these problems will arise and most certainly are there for all to see now.
Yes, as she continues to maintain, churches are allowed to provide and maintain schools for their members. But as we pay the taxes and fund the schools they should be available to all and/or the Government must make provision and build schools for all and not hide behind the historical reasons why churches are in control.
Now is the time for our Government to take responsibility in this regard and not continue to leave it to the churches, while they do nothing or, even worse, make it difficult for parents and groups like Educate Together to set up schools.
Teachers have rights too and if they are still expected to be practising Catholics and to have trained in Catholic training colleges (or Protestant) where does it leave the humanists, agnostics and atheists among the population who may desire to teach in primary schools?
The new Ireland has not only brought us wealth and the new Irish but also new responsibilities and if all children are not educated together when will integration happen? The present denominational system does not help in this regard and even the Archbishop of Dublin tells Mary to change things but she doesn't want to listen. Do the job of government for all the people (our taxes are not denominational and pay for all schools)!
Allowing segregated schooling or schools to bar people on the basis of race or religion is unacceptable. The pictures of a school in Dublin 15 with only children of the new Irish and no locals are not a pretty sight to behold, in terms of integration and future peace and community well-being. They, at least, got a school place. Others didn't and it isn't the fault of the church but of our elected but unfit Government. Do we want riots and ghettoes down the line?
- Yours, etc,
MICHAEL POWER, Springlawn Road, Dublin 15.