Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of the divestment of schools. The debate has sprung up again about the divestment of schools in this country, that is, schools removing themselves from the patronage of the Catholic Church. This debate has been springing up every now and again for the past few years, often when there is a slow news day.

As of 2021, of the national total of 3,126 standard schools, 88% had Catholic patrons, 5.7% were controlled by the Church of Ireland, 1% were controlled by other religious organisations while 5.4% were not affiliated with any particular religion. In 2018, the then Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, set up the oddly named "school reconfiguration for diversity" process to facilitate transfers of existing schools from religious patronage to that of secular bodies. Since then only 12 primary schools have taken up this offer, although more multi-denominational schools have been established or sanctioned than divested.

The programme for Government commits to achieving at least 400 multi-denominational schools by 2030 to improve parental choice. How does the Minister plan to achieve this? This House would be a good place for a debate on this issue. The transfer of patronage happens on a school-by-school basis, based on dialogue between the local bishop and the local State-run education and training board, ETB. This means that divestment only occurs where there is an actual grassroots call for it from parents in an area. Effecting change only where change is asked for will never allow the State to hit its target. The obvious way forward is a centralised consultation between the Minister and her Department and representatives of the ETBs and the Catholic bishops and archbishops, in tandem with localised surveys carried out by each school of families in its catchment area. These surveys would determine what groups want and what solution fits best.

I would love to see more diversity in schooling in Ireland. I am sure the Islamic Foundation of Ireland would love to be patron of more schools for Muslim children. There must be also be a desire among Hindu, Jewish or Orthodox residents in Ireland to see their beliefs reflected in schooling too. Maybe then we could have truly Catholic schools under a less thinly spread patronage and these too would be in high demand. A national survey carried out as recently as 2019 showed that 78% of parents supported the continued role of the Catholic Church in shaping the ethos of their children's school, with 9% saying that the church should have a much more active role. These parents want schools to reflect their beliefs as well.

I ask that the Minister for Education be invited to the House for a serious conversation on divestment and how the Department is planning to take religion out of our schools, while allowing those who want to have religion in schools to participate in that way.