Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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41. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when an amendment to the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 will be introduced to seek the removal of the baptism barrier; the way in which he plans to increase diversity of schooling here in view of the fact that the Catholic Church has handed over control of just 11 schools to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22438/18]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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I welcome the Government's proposed amendment to remove the baptism barrier in schools. I understand that Report Stage of the Bill is due to be taken in the House next week. It is shocking that a derogation in our equality legislation has allowed discrimination against children in Ireland by means of schools' admissions policies. In my view, education is a fundamental right and I have long advocated on this in the context of social, economic and cultural rights. Ireland is unique in that the Catholic ethos dominates, with more than 90% of our State schools run by Catholic entities. It is also unique after the children's rights referendum and marriage equality referendum, and even with the current referendum on the eighth amendment. Not as much has changed regarding religion and access to schools.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the Report Stage amendment that will be debated in the House next week. I am of the view that it constitutes a fair and balanced response. I share the view of a lot of Members that it is not fair that in publicly-funded schools, 95% of which are denominational, if a child does not subscribe to that religion then another child from a long distance away can get priority or people may be forced to baptise their children simply to get access to schools. I do not think this is fair to parents. I hope the amendment we have worked on and brought forward will gain support in the House.

The Deputy's question raises other issues. For example, how can we extend diversity? We had a discussion earlier on new schools and 61 new schools have been opened since 2011. The vast majority of these have gone to non-denominational patrons. In the case of primary schools, all of them have gone to such patrons.

That reflects parental preferences. I do not know if the Deputy was here earlier but we went through how those are developed.

Separately, under a former Minister, Ruairí Quinn, there was an effort to have a patronage divestment model. That led to ten schools being established with multidenominational patrons. The scheme probably did not work as well as the former Minister had hoped and we are now introducing a new "reconfiguration" process, as it is being described, that would seek to have the transfer of patronage while schools are still running rather than after amalgamation and closure. I will rely on education and training boards, ETBs, to undertake surveys to establish where there is a demand and work with the existing patron to promote alternatives. There are a number of elements in how we are promoting diversity and seeking to get a better environment for children in our schools.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Michael Barron and Mr. Anthony Muldoon as I know they have worked closely with the Department on the process. Will the Minister speak a little more about the education and training boards? I assume he is referring to second level schools. How is it envisaged that the process will work? In how many schools will that happen in the coming years? It is important that the process is successful and a way is found to make it work. Recent figures indicate that 20% of the parent-age population identify as non-religious, so there is a demand for non-religious schools. This is not an attack on Catholics as such either but most of these are Catholic schools. We need to find a way for schools to divest. The work is done for people and they do not have to think about it, which is a real problem in terms of taking on ownership and responsibility for schools. That needs to be managed so perhaps the Minister could speak a little more about the process.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The process will start and initially we will run it in a number of areas. Based on any success we may move to another number of areas. It will become a rolling programme and it will be based on surveys of preschool preferences. It will involve working with patrons. We are in the good position that the leadership of Catholic schools recognise that they need to support diversification and the transfer of patronage. As the Deputy has said himself, finding a way to make this happen is the challenge. We are hoping that by working at a local level with education and training boards, which have local representatives and have the confidence of local community groups, they will assist in the delivery of such changes. We hope to start that process soon. If it becomes a more successful model, which I certain hope it will because it does not involve closure, transfer and all the property elements that have been very difficult in the past, I hope it will offer a new pathway to more diversity.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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Will it be rolled out in rural areas as well, as that would be important? I am thinking in particular of areas where there could be a number of schools in a single parish. It would be quite possible for one of those schools to be divested and continue. There would be a choice within that parish. It is as vital for rural areas as it is for urban areas.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The first example of a community national school that has developed is in a rural area in Kerry. There is a model and there have been successful transfers from the bishop to a new patron under the ETB. It is the first, I hope, of a number that we will see going that route. It will offer a new road to diverse patronage.