Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The decision parents make about where to send their children to school is hugely important. Whether they are renting or buying, many parents choose where to live on the basis of the schools in the area. However, there are many parents who do not have a choice. Approximately ten years ago, when schools were becoming oversubscribed in Dublin, my area in Kildare saw a huge influx of young parents. They were coming to live in Kildare because they could not get their children into schools in Dublin. We are now feeling the squeeze. We are at that point. What we are discussing is incredibly important.

We must note that Ireland is an increasingly pluralistic society, but this is not yet reflected in our school admissions policies. The statistics show us that 33.7% of couples opted for a non-religious marriage ceremony in 2015. There has been a 20% reduction in Catholic mass attendance rates between 2008 and 2014. Despite this significant social shift, approximately 96% of State-funded schools are denominational, with 90% of these Catholic. The treatment of non-Catholic parents and children in our education system is an issue that urgently needs to be addressed. I say this as someone who had the benefit of a Catholic education not just at primary and secondary level but also at third level also when I attended Carysfort. I also taught religious studies at primary school level and enjoyed that engagement with children. Ultimately, we were working with children to help them respect their families, community and environment.

The existence of discriminatory admissions policies has resulted in children being forced to commute long distances to schools outside their localities and in baptisms of convenience, which are often against a parent's conscience. These should not be necessary in a modern, multicultural society. All children, regardless of religious denomination, should have access to a school in their local community. The effect of discriminatory policies is more pronounced in more populous areas where schools are oversubscribed. The Department of Education and Skills reports that one in every five schools is oversubscribed. It is in these schools that enrolment that discriminates on the basis of religion takes place. These oversubscribed schools have been broadly allowed to draw up their own admissions policies based on criteria such as catchment area, religion, that a parent was a past pupil or that a sibling attends the school. There is also anecdotal evidence that suggests some schools use their admissions policies to select applicants based on academic achievement or socio-economic background. With population growth in many areas, including mine in Kildare, the number of oversubscribed schools will only increase. Where a school is oversubscribed, its selection criteria should not discriminate on religious or other grounds such as ability, race, etc.

Fianna Fáil also considers that simply amending section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act, as proposed by the Labour Party and other groups, as too simplistic. It would endanger the ability of minority faith schools to defend their ethos. To remove completely a school's right to use denominational criteria would be unconstitutional and would fail to acknowledge the rights of these minority schools. This is a complex legal and constitutional issue, given the rights to both religion and education in our Constitution. Fianna Fáil believes that locality or catchment area is the fairest selection criterion and that children who have a sibling in a school should be given priority in admissions. We do not believe schools should be able to give admission to children of a particular denominational background from outside their catchment area ahead of children inside the area. We also believe that catchment areas for schools should be provided for in our legislation and should be a statutory requirement in admissions policies. The size of the catchment area could reflect the popularity of the school's ethos.

I welcome the phasing out of school waiting lists. These have also been a problem in my area. I also welcome the proposal to establish a new schools admission appeals body as a recourse for parents who feel that their child has been discriminated against in the admissions process. The improvements to transparency and fairness of schools admissions in the Bill is to be welcomed. As stated by the Minister, every school must be welcoming of every young person, regardless of ability, disability, race or religion. I welcome the Minister's commitment to increasing choice and diversity in our education system.

The Bill obliges schools to publish their admissions policy but does not oblige them to change them. It obliges them to give details of arrangements put in place for children who do not wish to receive religious instruction, but gives no guidance or standards as to what these arrangements should be. The current arrangement of children sitting separately and alone for 30 minutes, possibly every day, while their classmates receive religious instruction is not satisfactory. This has a greater impact in communion and confirmation years.

My colleague referred to my role as Chairman of the committee that will examine this issue. I know that the Minister appreciates that we are currently dealing with the Cassells report. We have started our engagement with stakeholders and the matter is progressing successfully. This is a hugely important facet of the commitment of the Department and the committee to react appropriately and timely to the Cassells report. The committee is committed to engaging with the stakeholders on this Bill prior to Christmas and has been in touch with the Department of Education and Skills to suggest possible meeting dates prior to Christmas.

This is hugely important to the committee, as it is to all Members of the Dáil. We look forward to further engagement with the Government and the members of every party on this hugely significant Bill.

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