RELIGIOUS AND educational representatives of the Catholic Church and nationalist politicians have reacted critically to First Minister Peter Robinson’s call for an end to British state funding of church schools.
Bishop Donal McKeown and Sinn Féin and SDLP politicians interpreted Mr Robinson’s call for a carefully planned 10-year transition to a general integrated education system in Northern Ireland as an attack on Catholic education.
Mr Robinson described the current system of education as a benign but damaging “form of apartheid”.
“I don’t in any way object to churches providing and funding schools for those who choose to use them. What I do object to is the state providing and funding church schools,” he said in Belfast on Friday night, in a wide-ranging speech to mark the installation of Vivienne McCoy as mayor of Castlereagh Borough Council.
Bishop McKeown, who is auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor and chairman of the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education, said the continuing educational debate required “recognition of the fundamental right of parents in the choice of faith-based education for their child”.
This was a key principle, which recognised the right of parents, and was guaranteed by the European Convention for Human Rights. “It is also the hallmark of a stable and pluralist society, such as exists in Ireland and Britain, and which finds expression in the provision of state-funded faith-based schools,” he said.
“It is worth pointing out that parents who choose faith-based schools for their children, pay taxes toward the provision of that education. The Catholic Church has also contributed substantial funding and resources for the provision of Catholic schools over generations, and this has ultimately saved the taxpayer money,” added Bishop McKeown.
“Long experience across this island, North and South, shows that Catholic schools are committed to welcoming pupils of all backgrounds and to building a cohesive society in the service of the common good,” he said.
Sinn Féin Assembly member John O’Dowd said Mr Robinson’s comments were “‘little more than a thinly disguised sectarian attack on Catholic education, parents and children”. He said the DUP sought to have “all our children educated in the image of a Protestant state for a Protestant people”.
Mr O’Dowd added: “The Catholic sector provides a school property portfolio of millions if not billions of pounds towards education. Where does Mr Robinson suggest the Executive gets the sort of money?” SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie, referring to Peter Robinson’s comments on segregated education said they were “an old-fashioned political sideswipe at Catholic schools”. “He is still right that we should aim for a future where our children are increasingly educated together – but blaming Catholics for the division is shameful and totally the wrong place to start,” she added.
The head of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools Donal Flanagan questioned the timing and motivation behind Mr Robinson’s comments. “What I would say is, if Peter Robinson wants an open, honest and inclusive debate on the future of education in Northern Ireland then why would he choose a platform at the installation of a DUP mayor to launch this,” he told the BBC.