09/09/2008

Church Anger Over Smaller Role In Schools

Ireland's Catholic leaders have vented their outrage over a government decision to "sideline" them from the planning of new secondary schools.

The church heads have reportedly sent a confidential document to the Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe outlining their anger. They say parents must have the right to send their children to a Catholic secondary school, if they so wish.

The paper is believed to reveal of the 31 new second level schools built in the past 15 years, only one is a Catholic school - and that school has since closed.

However, the problems being faced by the Irish Church and it's role in schools are being shared UK wide. Catholicism website Total Catholic reported on Tuesday that church leaders had condemned the claims of a newly-formed group which suggested faith schools discriminate against students and teachers on religious grounds.

The new coalition, Accord, has called on the Government to stop publicly-funded faith schools from discriminating against students and teachers to the consternation of Church leaders.

The debacle comes as Minister Batt O'Keeffe TD, officially opened Lucan East Educate Together National School last week. The school is among 26 new school-building projects, non of which are denominational.

Minister O'Keeffe said: "This is the beginning for an entirely new school community and I am particularly pleased that the new school is beginning its journey in such modern facilities."

(DW/JM)

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