Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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448. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a report that does not indicate that the Department's present policy of creating multi-denominational patronages will ultimately lead to a religious apartheid education system here whereby children of the majority religion will have schools exclusive to themselves, and all other children will be forced to concentrate themselves in a minority of schools which do not discriminate in admissions on religious grounds. [3462/15]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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449. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she shares the views of her predecessor who indicated that he did not intend to discontinue the national school system here; schools are in receipt of State funding despite the obvious religious discrimination that has become prevalent over the past 40 years and more, particularly with religious discrimination in the past 15 years. [3463/15]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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451. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of reports (details supplied) which support the obligation on the State to ensure that every child can attend his or her local national school without any religious discrimination on entry, the steps she will take to end this practice. [3465/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 448, 449 and 451 together.

While our system of patronage has demonstrated a capacity to facilitate change and evolution, it is the case that the vast majority of primary schools are still under Catholic patronage. While recognising the role that Catholic schools have played in welcoming children from diverse backgrounds and the continuing role for Catholic schools, we have made changes to the patronage system with the model of provision for new schools being reflective of parental demand for the types of schools they want to send their children to. We are also making progress under the patronage divesting process.

The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government gives a commitment to move towards a more pluralist system of patronage for our schools. In this context, a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism was established to look at how schools can cater for diversity and ensure an inclusive and respectful environment for all their pupils. Work is continuing on the follow-up to the Report of the Advisory Group to the Forum and its recommendations regarding diversity in society.

In relation to enrolment policies, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools, whether extant or newly established, to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves.

This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to publish its enrolment policy.

Equality legislation, which also outlaws discrimination in relation to the admission of a student, makes provision for exemptions to apply in the case of single sex schools and in the case of schools where the objective is to provide education in an environment that promotes certain religious values. The legislation provides that any school that has this objective may admit a student of a particular religious denomination in preference to other students.