Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I met with representatives of Educate Together last week and indicated that I would give consideration to its application for patronage at second level during the summer months. However, I saw this as a serious policy issue and one I would have to bring to Government, which I propose to do.

My officials met Archbishop Diarmuid Martin in late 2007. We wanted to discuss statements he had made prior to that on the possibility of divesting patronage of primary schools in the archdiocese. We also had a separate meeting with Bishop Leo O'Reilly, who is the chair of the Bishops' Education Commission. We asked Archbishop Martin to let us know if he had specific locations in mind. He said he had no specific locations in mind where one or more schools under his patronage could transfer to another patron but that it might arise some time in the future. The discussion centred on the different issues that might arise and the need for such changes to be planned and managed. It also focused on the desirability of individual schools to enter into consultations with all stakeholders, such as parents and teachers, and it was agreed that the archbishop would make contact with us at an early stage if an opportunity arose to change patronage. Archbishop Martin has never made contact with us on that matter. At the recent IPPN conference the archbishop made a statement on similar lines, as a result of which we will consult directly with him again to see exactly what he has in mind. We will also consult with Bishop O'Reilly but the Department is not certain the Archbishop of Dublin and the chair of the Irish Bishops' Conference are in unison on this issue. It is only right and fair that we get a clear indication from the Catholic Church of its views on patronage across the country.

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