Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I am surprised by the Government's reluctance to take up Archbishop Martin's invitation to the effect that the State should engage with the Catholic church in respect of the patronage of schools. The Archbishop specifically proposed that a national education forum, at which the patronage of schools could be discussed by all interested parties, should be established. I note what the Taoiseach stated in reply to Deputy Ó Caoláin and what the Minister for Education and Science said to Deputy Quinn, namely, that Government will discuss specific schools with patrons and will deal with the issues relating to strategy, and so on, at a later date. The need to address this matter is somewhat more urgent than that.

The Constitution defines the parent as the primary educator. It seems to follow from that there is a right of parental choice in respect of education. Matters were fine when the range of religious denominations within the State was fairly limited. As Archbishop Martin stated, some 93% of primary schools are under the patronage of the Catholic church. At one point in our history, this broadly corresponded with the proportion of members of the population who were Catholic and who wished to send their children to Catholic schools. However, the position is now different and there is a wider range of denominations in the country. The parents of children of different denominations are seeking separate denominational education in line with their beliefs. In addition, a growing number of people are seeking multi-denominational or non-denominational education for their children.

At some stage, someone will go before the courts to assert their constitutional right to choice. An issue arises in the context of how we should balance the constitutional right of parents to choose to have their children educated in the school of their choice with the resources that are available to the State to facilitate this. The Government needs to be ahead of this issue rather than being obliged to respond in respect of an imperative that might arise if the rights to which I refer are decided upon by the courts in the first instance.

I would have thought that the Government would have responded quickly and enthusiastically to Archbishop Martin's suggestion that a national education forum be established. Will the Taoiseach indicate if the Government will agree to establish such a forum to address the issue of patronage in the context of the respective views and wishes of the different interests and denominations involved in the provision of education? If such a forum were to become a reality, the State would be in a position to put in place the range of educational options and choice. This would make the State's position more robust in the context of possible constitutional challenge. It would also ensure that we would not, in the aftermath of such a challenge being successful, be obliged to put in place an educational model which would prove far more costly than that which might be put in place now by agreement.

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