A chara, – John Horgan's analysis of the subsidiarity nature of our education system is clear, concise and points to an obvious solution to the urgent need for the State to abandon the outdated and outmoded patronage system for the management and administration of schools ("Do we really need an education system more Catholic than the Pope?", Education, September 19th).
It is unfortunate that the waters continue to be muddied by the continual confusion between patronage and religion. – Yours, etc,
SEÁN Ó DÍOMASAIGH,
Dunsany, Co Meath.
Sir, – The letter from Séamus Conboy (September 19th) of the Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) seems to describe a decent attempt at squaring the circle of faith formation and the needs of non-believers for their children in our schools. But despite the best efforts of the ETBI there remain very serious problems, amounting to shameful religious discrimination, in State-run schools in Ireland. A major one was highlighted last week by Rob Sadlier (September 15th), who pointed out that the so-called “integrated curriculum” can and does discriminate against parents and children on religious grounds, and in certain cases results in the indoctrination of children against the wishes of their parents.
If the system outlined by Mr Conboy were enshrined in law and made applicable to all State-funded schools across the board, regardless of background of their patrons, then we would be getting somewhere in this matter. In the meantime, we operate a religiously discriminatory State school system, paid for by taxpayers, for which we have been roundly condemned by a number of human rights committees of the United Nations. – Yours, etc,
SEAMUS McKENNA,
Windy Arbour
Dublin 14.