Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools under the patronage of the Catholic church for the years 1931, 1971, 2011; and the number of primary schools under the patronage of the Church of Ireland for the years 1931, 1971, 2011. [1610/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In the 2010/11 school year, a total of 2,841 ordinary primary schools were under Catholic patronage and 174 ordinary primary schools were under Church of Ireland patronage.

Information on the number of primary schools under the patronage of the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland for the years 1931 and 1971 is not available as it was not collected at that time.

However, my Department's statistical records show that in 1931 a total of 95.6% of primary pupils (486,116 pupils) were recorded as being Catholics while 3.3% of primary pupils (16,879 pupils) were recorded as members of the Church of Ireland. In 1970 a total of 97.4% of primary pupils (504,223 pupils) were recorded as being Catholics while 2% of primary pupils (10,340 pupils) were recorded as members of the Church of Ireland. This level of information ceased to be collected in 1970 and is therefore not available for 1971.