Rónán Mullen (Independent)

There is much to commend in this motion. The last education convention in 1997 addressed the governance of all schools and helped to clarify the constitutional position of education. If there was to be another such debate it would be welcome.

I am concerned about the tone of this debate, not just in this House but in the media in recent weeks. It is unfortunate that a certain red herring has been allowed to colour the debate. I am referring to the role of the Catholic Church, particularly its enrolment policy, in contributing to the problem. While it is not specifically referred to in the motion, the issue of the effects of particular enrolment policies applied by primary schools is listed with three other factors we could definitely point out as problems — the haphazard manner in which new school sites are identified, the apparent failure to apply criteria based on demographic and other relevant factors. Those three points make eminent sense and any criticism of the planning by officialdom in this area is well deserved.

To link the sensitive issue of schools' and churches' particular enrolment policies, however, is unfortunate. It stems from a failure to grasp the delicate interplay of issues that have contributed to the problem as we have experienced it or it may be an instance of what the Taoiseach referred to as "aggressive secularism", whereby certain problems are used to further an entirely separate political agenda. I warn against that because it is unfair to the people affected by these issues.

There is only one reason we have experienced these recent problems, particularly in Balbriggan: the lack of joined-up thinking. There are massive housing estates with no provision for education. It is true that the State is now getting its act together, but it must be asked who located these families in Balbriggan in the first place? To what extent was this problem flagged by those involved in education in the area to the State? It was flagged years ago; before the Educate Together school even opened in Balbriggan, the three Catholic primary schools in the area approached Fingal County Council and outlined their capacity and explained the numbers they could accommodate, asking the county council to remain in contact so that they could plan for the future but they never heard back from it.

To prepare for the 2007-08 school year, the three Catholic schools in Balbriggan and the education secretariat of the Dublin diocese notified the Department of Education and Science of the serious situation that was developing in the area. The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, pointed to the large number of empty houses in Balbriggan, undoubtedly a factor in the location of certain families in the area but, far too often, in this and in other areas, there has been a lack of joined-up planning. I am not targeting this criticism at the Minister who is responsible for only one Department. However, time and again, there has been a failure to foresee the problems that will affect communities.

The provision of education is such a basic right one would imagine it would never leave the top of the agenda, yet it seems to have done so in this case. That is the reason we have had this problem. We have a bizarre linking in of church baptismal policies as though they were genuinely a part of the problem. I can only speak from my own past experience, but I am sure it is also true of other denominations, in saying that the Catholic Church is playing an active role in integration. It also facilitates the choice of others to have the type of education they want for their children. In the diocese of Cork and Ross the late Bishop Murphy provided a site for an Educate Together school there. The Loreto sisters in Churchtown gave a site to the south Dublin Educate Together school. The Bracken Educate Together school in Balbriggan is housed in property owned by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Not many people are aware of these facts, which show that while the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations may well be interested in providing a certain type of education — which is their right — they also support the right of others to choose the type of education they think is appropriate for their children. Being the majority church, the Catholic Church has rightly facilitated smaller groups with fewer resources.

There is a real danger of a certain statist mentality, which states that one size fits all when it comes to the provision of education. It is important to remember that neither the State, the Labour Party nor anybody else has the right to tell parents what type of education they should choose for their children. We know what people want from surveys that have been carried out. As my colleague Senator O'Reilly said, people frequently choose denominational education, which is their right. With respect to Senator Alex White, I heard him say earlier that the Catholic Church cannot have it both ways. I do not think anybody should be allowed to have it both ways, but we must not forget that those who adhere to one religious faith or another constitute a large percentage of society. At a relatively conservative estimate, 48% of people attend church weekly, which is a fair indicator that they want certain values to be a part of their lives. Many more people who do not attend church choose to have their children baptised. Should they choose a Catholic education for their children — which is more than just about teaching religion, but is also about promoting a way of looking at the world — that is their right. I humbly suggest that, as taxpayers, they are just as entitled to that type of education as parents who want to send their children to an Educate Together school.

I wish to refer in passing to some of the comments by Senators Bacik and Norris. Senator Bacik suggested that religion should have no place in schools, but what respect does that attitude show to individuals who may beg to differ about how they would order their family lives and make educational choices for their children? Senator Norris said that schools should be about facts, not faith. I am reminded of the character in Dickens' Hard Times, Mr. Gradgrind, who insisted that all he wanted was facts. We would provide a dull kind of education if we were only interested in inculcating facts. Education is about many things. It is about helping children to grow, mature and acquire competences for the work place. Much more than that, however, it is about developing healthy attitudes to life and solidarity with others. It is fair to say that many partners in education, including those involved in the provision of denominational education, have been part of that great ethos of inclusive education. That should continue to be the case.