Catholic Schools in the Republic of Ireland
Catholic Schools Partnership
Position Paper April 2011
Click on link to download – Catholic Schools in the Republic of Ireland
The Catholic Schools Partnership, an umbrella group providing support for all of the partners in Catholic schools in the Republic of Ireland, has reflected on many of the key issues facing all of the stakeholders in Irish schools at this time and presents this position paper to parents and students, to public representatives and civil servants, to patrons and trustees, to school staffs and management, to priests and parishes and, indeed, to all of our fellow citizens, as we look to a shared future in our democratic society.
This paper is part of a process of consultation which the Catholic Schools Partnership is undertaking. It follows on the publication by the Irish Bishops’ Conference of
- Catholic Primary Schools: A Policy for Provision into the Future (2007)
- Vision 08 – A Vision for Catholic Education in Ireland (2008).
More recently (August 2010) the Department of Education and Skills published data on stable demographic areas where the Catholic Patron might consider a change in patronage of some schools. In response to this the Catholic Schools Partnership has undertaken three steps:
- further qualitative analysis of parental choice regarding schools;
- the publication of this position paper and the invitation to individuals and organisations to respond;
- internal consultation within the Church with parents, patrons, teachers, priests, pastoral councils, students, trustees and managers.
Invitation for reponses to Position Paper
We welcome your views (as individuals or organisations) on the issues analysed here and on how best to address the various challenges that we face.
The Council of the Catholic Schools Partnership invites responses to this paper and will reflect on these in its deliberations on the nature, purpose and future of Catholic schools.
Please forward responses by email to [email protected]
or to:
Catholic Schools Partnership
Columba Centre
Maynooth
Co Kildare
Responses should be submitted by 16 May 2011.
Regional Assemblies June 2011
The results of this consultation will be analysed at four regional assemblies in June 2011 with representatives from all dioceses.
The Catholic Schools Partnership will then present the findings of its research to the broader public. In this context the announcement (March 2011) by Mr Ruari Quinn TD, Minister for Education and Skills, of a forum on the future of Catholic patronage of primary schools is most timely.
