Educate Together has expressed disappointment and concern at the announcement today of the transfer of a Catholic school to Kerry ETB to re-open as a Community National School.
When the Government’s school reconfiguration plans were announced by Minister Bruton in January 2017, Educate Together raised concerns that they gave undue influence to the Catholic Church and left families who are campaigning for equality-based schools with no real voice in the process. Educate Together put these concerns to Department of Education officials directly at a meeting on 5th April 2017, published them online (www.educatetogether.net) and issued press statements outlining the case. Today’s announcement on the transfer of a Catholic school to Kerry ETB to re-open as a Community National School vindicates Educate Together’s concerns.
Following parental surveys in 2013, Killarney was one of 25 areas around Ireland where parents were promised an Educate Together national school by the Government under the ‘divestment’ plan – a process devised to bring about more diversity and inclusiveness in the primary school system. Educate Together has been engaging with parents in the Killarney area for four years with a view to establishing an Educate Together school in the town. In 2017, interest levels among parents for an Educate Together school remain high. Educate Together has also actively engaged with the Department of Education to establish a school in Killarney, having proposed various viable school accommodation options for the Department to investigate. Indeed, when it became aware that the school in Two Mile was closing, Educate Together suggested the very school building, in October 2016 and again in March 2017. Instead, the Department is now sanctioning a Community National School.
Educate Together expressed concerns earlier this year that the Government’s reconfiguration plan lacked high standards of transparency and equality in that all stakeholders were not fairly represented or consulted in the process. These concerns have now been validated. Today the Department stated that a local meeting was held in March organised by the “Two Mile Community Group". The meeting was attended by over 70 members of the local community and an ‘independent vote’ was held to allow Two Mile / Cahooreigh NS to be made available as a Community National School. The transfer was signed off by Ray Browne, Bishop of Kerry – representing the Diocese of Kerry, the current patron of the school.
- At no point were parents seeking an Educate Together school in the area consulted.
- At no point was Educate Together asked to express an interest in becoming patron of the school.
- At no point was Educate Together invited by the Department of Education to make a case for a prospective Educate Together patronage to the local community.
Educate Together – and others – expressed concerns that the reconfiguration plan gave the Catholic Church undue influence on education. This is because current patrons – mostly Catholic bishops -have the final say in whether schools are transferred – and, crucially, to whom. Today we are seeing the transfer of a Catholic school to the Kerry ETB to re-open under the ETB’s patronage as a Community National School. This is despite parents clearly expressing a preference for an Educate Together school when objectively surveyed by the DES in 2012.
Commenting on the announcement, Educate Together CEO Paul Rowe said:
“Today’s announcement is disappointing for parents in Killarney, who have been let down. It is also of serious concern to all of us who who have been working towards real reform and reconfiguration of the primary school system over many years. What is needed now is a complete review of the Minister’s proposed process for reconfiguration. The state needs to take control of this process so that the needs of local communities – not Bishops or religious orders – are central and so that real change can happen nationwide.”
Educate Together is now calling for a full reassessment of Richard Bruton’s ‘reconfiguration’ process and that a new process be formulated that considers the wishes of families, rather than Church interests. Educate Together’s detailed proposals can be read online: www.educatetogether.net
