‘Baptism barrier’ is stumbling block to reconfiguring patronage, says Catholic schools body

A new law which prohibits Catholic schools from prioritising the enrolment of local children of the same faith is emerging as a “stumbling block” to the reconfiguration of school patronage, according to the body representing Catholic schools.

The Catholic Education Partnership – established as a single voice for Catholic schools – said the Government’s decision in 2018 to remove the right of Catholic schools to discriminate on the basis of religion in their admission policies is a “discriminatory law, solely directed at Catholics, and no other faiths”.

The group said Catholic parents believe keeping the “status quo” in relation to the patronage of schools is their best option unless they can be guaranteed priority access to a school of their faith.

Almost 90 per cent of primary schools are currently under Catholic patronage, while about 5 per cent are multidenominational.

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[ Concern over Catholic schools’ ability to keep ethos after ‘baptism barrier’ removal ]

The Programme for Government commits to improving parental choice by meeting a target of delivering 400 multidenominational primary schools by 2030.

Catholic bishops have agreed to take part in a pilot initiative to provide greater choice for parents in eight areas where there are no multidenominational primary schools. The pilot areas include Arklow, Athlone, Dundalk and Youghal as well as parts of Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick.

The Catholic Schools Partnership said that, as part of that process, Catholic parents have expressed a concern that if their community consents to the transfer of a Catholic school to another patron, they cannot be sure that they can secure enrolment for their child in the remaining Catholic schools.

“They ask, what is the point of reconfiguring patronage to reflect the increasingly plural nature of Irish society if it only serves to fail to guarantee them choice of school ethos for their child,” said Alan Hynes, chief executive of the Catholic Education Partnership.

“From these parents’ point of view, as long as the current legislative provisions remain in place, then the status quo is their best guarantee.”

He was commenting following an Irish Times article earlier this week in which Catholic bishops were reported as expressing concern over the ability of Catholic primary schools to remain true to their ethos following the removal of the so-called “Baptism barrier”.

It was envisaged that Catholic schools in these areas would be reconfigured as multidenominational from September 2023 onwards.

‘Railroaded’

However, the timescale is at risk of slipping amid tension and uncertainty in some communities over the process.

In Dublin’s Raheny – one of the areas earmarked for potential reconfiguration – school community meetings last month were marked by anger and confusion over schools being “railroaded” into change, according to some of those present.

Parents at one of the Catholic schools in the area – Scoil Áine – said a survey of parents found that 83 per cent were opposed to divesting the school.

However, other parents in favour of change believe there is a strong support for a mixed, multidenominational national school in the wider area.

Schools admissions legislation, which led to the removal of the so-called “Baptism barrier”, which allowed oversubscribed Catholic primary schools to use religion as a selection criterion in school admissions, is due to be reviewed this year.

Mr Hynes said Catholic patrons disagreed with the Admissions to Schools Act before its introduction on the basis that it was a “discriminatory law, solely directed at Catholics, and no other faiths”.

“The issue the law created, in not permitting Catholic schools to prioritise the enrolment of local children from Catholic families, is now emerging as a stumbling block to the reconfiguration of school patronage.”

The Irish Human Rights Commission’s (IHREC), however, has asked the United Nations to ask the State to account for its “slow progress on the divestment of patronage from Catholic schools”. It has said there is a need for equity of access, parental choice and human rights principles to be respected in education policy.