EOGHAN O LAOIRE,
A chara, - Larry McCluskey (September 2nd) and I are at one when he states that the sooner Irish schools are less segregated by religion, gender and social class the better for society as a whole.
An Foras Patrúnachta prides itself on the fact that is the only school patronage system in this State at either first or second level to allow founding parents to determine the religious ethos of their children's school. Once that determination is made, An Foras will defend that choice to the point required. An Foras does not and will not choose a school's religious ethos.
Like the school management system operated by the VECs, all schools under An Foras Pátrúnachta operate boards of management that consist of two teachers, two parents, two nominees of the patron and two members co-opted by the board to represent the school community. An Foras itself is an entirely open and democratic organisation. All directors are chosen by the schools and represent the interests of each school type as well as the broad school communities. We do not ask people their religious persuasion, if any, when they stand for election. Instead they are asked to defend the ethos of the schools they represent.
The shifting of the vested interests referred to might begin by the State itself taking responsibility for the training of primary teachers. This would provide choice for schools wishing to recruit teachers, and allow for those people of no particular religious persuasion or from outside the Church of Ireland or Roman Catholic traditions who wish to become primary teachers.
In relation to the Dunboyne dispute, however, Mr McCluskey takes unto himself the righteousness of one who is clearly not in grasp of the facts. The dispute was about the rights and responsibilities of a board of management to manage the school and protect its ethos. The dismissal of the principal was precisely because he refused, both publicly and privately, to be managed by his board. Any management doing otherwise would have been in dereliction of its duties.
As to terminology, Mr McCluskey has a point and the schools concerned should be more correctly referred to as "bi-denominational", as they involve only the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic traditions. There are six of this school type, along with multi-denominational and denominational schools, under the patronage of An Foras. We do not see television crews outside these schools, nor the Letters pages of this newspaper populated with letters about the difficulties they encounter. This does not mean there are not difficulties; only that they are being resolved in a positive and constructive manner, as they should have been in Dunboyne.
The teaching of religion within school time is one factor that distinguishes interdenominational schools from multidenominational ones where denominational instruction is not provided by the school, but is facilitated. It therefore generally happens outside the normal school day. This system or ethos of schooling is also supported by An Foras, as well as by Educate Together.
There is unfortunately no good outcome to the Dunboyne dispute. A school community has been at odds with itself and the lives of very small children disrupted in an unnecessary public squabble.
We should note that boards of management operate as volunteers at no cost to the State. During this dispute a voluntary board found itself pitted against what is probably the best-funded trade union in the State, which often provided up to four full-time officials to represent Mr Ó Dulaing. An Foras itself receives less than €30,000 a year from the State to help manage over 40 schools and, unlike VEC boards, does not get expenses.
There are no winners. The school community should now be left to get on with its own rebuilding and healing process. An Foras welcomes criticism of its role in this matter, and will in time lead a national debate on the issues raised.
Developing diversity is our business and if it were easy then the State would already have provided for it, without leaving it to volunteers like my colleagues in An Foras who give of their time and energy freely and willingly to try to shift some of the vested interests referred to by Mr McCluskey.
As to Mr Ó Dulaing, we can only wish him well in his future career, but a McGahern case he is not. - Yours, etc.,
EOGHAN Ó LAOIRE,
Director, An Foras Patrúnachta,
Gleann Maghair,
Corcaigh.