‘Catholic first’ school admissions policies may be illegal
Eanáir 5, 2015
Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan aims to speed up process of switching patronage
School admissions policies run on a “Catholic first” basis may be in breach of both equality legislation and the Constitution, the State’s equality watchdog has been told.
A report commissioned by the Equality Authority – now part of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) – argues that article 44.2.4 of the Constitution puts an onus on Catholic schools to demonstrate exactly why positive discrimination in admissions is necessary to maintain their ethos.
The report, authored by Fergus Ryan, a lecturer in law at DIT, says: “In relation to the Catholic First policy, there is certainly at the very least a case to be answered that in its potential application to schools in receipt of state funding, the policy may be in breach of the Constitution . . . by excluding children from state-funded schools on the basis that they intend to exercise a constitutional right not to attend religious instruction therein.”
The report stops short, however, of recommending the authority take a test case on the issue.
Article 44.2.4 states that “legislation providing State aid for schools shall not discriminate between schools . . . nor be such as to affect prejudicially the right of any child to attend a school receiving public money”.
Protecting ethos
This is countered by section 7 of the Equal Status Act 2000, which gives religious-run schools the right to administer admissions policies which protect their ethos.
Mr Ryan says the key point of law is that each school patron, or board of management, must show that it “is not merely desirable [in the eyes of the Catholic Church] but that it is essential to discriminate in order to maintain the school’s ethos”.
Fr Michael Drumm, chairman of Catholic Schools Partnership, the bishops’ education wing, said any suggestion that its admissions policies were unconstitutional were “speculation” in the absence of a test case.
He pointed in turn to constitutional protections allowing faith-based organisations to run their own affairs.
The IHREC said it was awaiting the outcome of a Supreme Court case on alleged discrimination against a Traveller at a Christian Brothers’ school in Clonmel, Co Tipperary before bringing further legal challenges on admissions policies. The Supreme Court is due to deliver its ruling this year on the case, which could have far reaching implications for the Equal Status Act.
Patronage issue
The legality of “Catholic first” admissions policies has come into sharper focus due to the lack of progress in divesting school patronage.
Speaking to The Irish Times in a personal capacity, the chairman of the forum on patronage and pluralism Prof John Coolahan said “there needs to be a carrot and a stick” to deliver change. Asked what sort of stick could be used, he suggested that grants might be cut in locations where schools refused to change patronage.
The Department of Education carried out surveys in 43 areas following the forum’s report in April 2012 and identified parental demand for change in 28 of them.
To date just one school – a Church of Ireland primary school in Co Mayo – has transferred to another patron, although two Catholic schools merged in Dublin 8 to create a vacant building for Educate Together.
Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan is seeking to accelerate the divestment process. She also wants clearer guidelines on how “standalone” Catholic schools – those in areas where there is no parental alternative – intend to accommodate children of other faiths and none.
It is been suggested, for example, that religious instruction might be timetabled either at the start or at the end of the school day to allow non-Catholic pupils to opt out with little fuss.
Fr Drumm said the church would early this year publish “a statement that will guide schools in best practice”. While he wouldn’t be drawn on the contents, he said it was due for publication in the spring, and he stressed that Catholic schools were already inclusive in nature.
www.irishtimes.com
Forum head calls on church to speed up schools handover
Eanáir 5, 2015
The Department of Education needs to wield a “stick” against the Catholic Church if it wants to make progress on the divestment of schools to other patrons, according to the chairman of the forum on patronage and pluralism.
Prof John Coolahan says the church’s refusal to take “a proactive stance” in promoting the divestment of schools undermined the process from the outset, and he suggests cuts in school funding might be considered to concentrate minds.
UN human rights monitors have criticised “the slow progress in increasing access to secular education” in Ireland and are warning the Government it faces fresh censure in the absence of reform.
Former minister for education Ruairí Quinn once talked about removing half of the State’s 3,100 primary schools from Catholic Church control to create a more diverse and inclusive system.
To date, however, the church has yet to hand over a single primary school to another patron, although it did merge two Catholic schools to create a vacant property for Educate Together.
One Church of Ireland school has transferred to Educate Together, the multidenominational patron which has also opened nine new primary schools in areas of growing populations.
Prof Coolahan said: “There needs to be a carrot and a stick and I think the stick wasn’t much applied as time went on.
“If there was no movement at all then I do think that you could say schools in this area – though this might be a bit crude – would have reduced capitation,” he added.
Educate Together
Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan has said she hopes to be able to announce this month plans for “three to four” further Educate Together schools, including in Tuam and New Ross.
These are two of 28 areas that have been earmarked for change on foot of parental surveys in select locations.
Prof Coolahan, who oversaw the forum’s main report in April 2012 and has contributed to subsequent update reports, suggests it was a mistake to leave the Catholic bishops, as patrons, to drive the reforms.
While they arranged for boards of management to meet parents and to discuss the merits of changing patronage, he said, “they rarely turned up themselves.
“They didn’t explain, ‘look, we would like this to happen, we think this should happen because we have concern for the public good – love your neighbour’.
“They have never taken a proactive, direct stance, using their offices to open people’s minds. They have done it at a distance.
“It was never going to happen if you were just going to leave it open like that. It always needed church and State to use their good offices at local level where there was a legitimacy of moving.”
Phasing out
In its latest report, the UN committee overseeing the implementation of the covenant on civil and political rights said it was concerned about the slow progress, not only in divesting patronage but also in creating non-denominational schools and in phasing out integrated religious curriculums in State schools.
Rapporteur for Ireland Yuval Shany told The Irish Times: “We do not have the power to sanction states but we would contend the State is under a legal obligation to take on board the recommendations in good faith.
“The way the Government undertakes these reforms is really up to the Government but it should go towards a system which offers the student options.”
www.irishtimes.com
Comórtas an Eolaí Óig 2015 do Bhunscoileanna
Eanáir 5, 2015
Ón 8ú-10ú Eanáir, glacfaidh níos mó ná 2,700 dalta ó rang a ceathair, cúig agus sé, páirt i gComórtas an Eolaí Óig i gCumann Ríoga Bhaile Atha Cliath. I measc na scoileanna a ghlacfaidh páirt ann, tá na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge/Gaeltachta seo: Scoil na Maighdine Muire Gan Smál, Camus, Gaelscoil Eois, Cluain Eois, agus Gaelscoil Aonach Urmhumhan, Gort Lán Rua, an tAonach. Déanfaidh a gcuid tionscadal ranga na ceisteanna suimiúla seo a fhreagairt: ‘Cén toradh citris a bhfuil an méid is mó vitimín C ann?’, ‘Cén tionchar atá ag siúcra ar do leibhéal corpacmhainne?’ agus ‘Blas. Cén fáth go n-athraíonn sé?’.
Seo tuilleadh eolais maidir le tionscamh Rang 4 Gaelscoil Aonach Urmhumhan:
Hipitéis ár dtionscnaimh is ea ‘Cén tionchar atá ag siúcra ar d’aclaíocht?’ Sular thosaigh an rang an mionscrúdú seo, cheap an rang go mbeadh sé/sí in ann rith níos tapúla ar feadh tréimhse níos faide. Rinneamar tuar thar 3 seachtaine chun an hipitéis a freagairt. Ghlac an rang páirt i dtrialacha ama; rith ar feadh aon nóiméad, léim ar feadh 30 soicind agus Squats ar feadh 30 soicind. Chomh maith leis sin, rinneamar suirbhé de na ranganna sinsir (Rang 2-6) chun fáil amach an raibh a fhios acu faoin damáiste a dhéanann siúcra don chorp agus an itheann daltaí níos mó ná an meán siúcra. Bhain an rang sárthaitneamh as páirt a ghlacadh sa tionscnamh. D’obrigh Rang 4 an-chrua agus rinneadar gaisce mar eolaithe.
Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoin gcomórtas, tabhair cuairt ar www.rds.ie/primarysciencefair
Comórtas Ealaíne an Fhorais Phátrúnachta 2015
Eanáir 5, 2015
Bhí an-rath ar Chomórtas Ealaíne an Fhorais Phátrúnachta anuraidh agus tá áthas orainn a fhógairt go mbeidh sé ar ais arís don scoilbhliain 2014/2015!
Tá comórtas na scoilbhliana seo urraithe ag Foras na Gaeilge agus beidh duaiseanna den scoth ar fáil.
Tugaimid cuireadh do dhaltaí i mbunscoileanna agus i meánscoileanna an Fhorais páirt a glacadh sa chomórtas. An téama atá ann don scoilbhliain seo ná ‘Gaeloideachas do Chách’.
Tá cúig rannóg éagsúil ann agus tá fón cliste, Nintendo Wii, táibléid agus tuilleadh i measc na nduaiseanna a bhronnfar!
Dúirt Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, Ard Rúnaí ar an bhForas Pátrúnachta: “D’éirigh go hiontach leis an gcomórtas ealaíne anuraidh. Ghlac go leor scoileanna páirt agus bhí an caighdeán fíor ard go deo.
“Anuraidh bronnadh duaiseanna iontacha ar na buaiteoirí agus tá an áthas orainn i mbliana go bhfuil duaiseanna bhreá eile ar fáil. Táimid an-sásta go bhfuil Foras na Gaeilge ag déanamh urraíocht ar an gcomórtas agus tá aiseolas an-dearfach faighte againn ó na scoileanna cheana féin.”
Is é an 6 Feabhra 2015 an sprioc d’iarratais. Fógrófar na buaiteoirí ag Comhdháil an Fhorais Phátrúnachta ar 28 Feabhra 2015 sa Red Cow Moran Hotel. Tá gach eolas faoin gcomórtas ar fáil ar www.foras.ie
“Cic sa tóin” do cheannródaithe na naíonraí
Eanáir 5, 2015
“Croíbhriste” atá Cathaoirleach Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta (FNT), Máire Uí Bhriain, go bhfuil dáta scortha socraithe don eagraíocht sin.
Dheimhnigh Uí Bhriain le Tuairisc.ie go bhfuil cinneadh déanta gur i mBealtaine na bliana seo chugainn a dhéanfar FNT a scor.
Dúirt Uí Bhriain go bhfuil baol anois ann go gcaillfí an saineolas go léir atá cruinnithe go dtí seo ar luathbhlianta oideachais leanaí scoile agus gurb é is dóichí ná go bhfágfar bearna sna seirbhísí atá á gcur ar fáil i láthair na huaire.
Is í an eagraíocht Gaelscoileanna a ghlacfaidh cúraimí FNT orthu féin an samhradh seo chugainn.
Toisc go bhfuil Gaelscoileanna ag plé leis an mbunscolaíocht agus leis an meánscolaíocht, tá ualach mór oibre ar an bhfoireann bheag ansin cheana féin, a dúirt Uí Bhriain, agus b’fhéidir go mbeadh sé deacair dá bharr daoine le saineolas ar na luathbhlianta a aimsiú agus a cheapadh mar chuid den atheagar a dhéanfar ar na seirbhísí i 2015.
Fágann an méid seo go bhfuil sí buartha faoina bhfuil i ndán do na seirbhísí céanna.
Is é an bhuairt is mó atá uirthi ná go rachfar i muinín tacaíochta ó ghrúpaí naíonra Béarla amach anseo toisc a laghad cabhrach a bheidh ar fáil do naíonraí Gaeilge.
Dúirt sí gur “cic sa tóin” atá sa chinneadh seo do na “ceannródaithe” go léir a raibh baint acu le naíonraí Gaeilge a bhunú ar fud na tíre agus d’fhiafraigh “cá bhfuil an fhís a bhí acusan anois?”
Ar a shon sin, tá sí “an-bhródúil” as an méid atá bainte amach ag na naíonraí go léir go dtí seo agus go leanfaidh sí uirthi i mbun a cuid dualgas mar stiúrthóir ar a naíonra féin thíos i gCorcaigh.
Beirt eile atá fostaithe go lánaimseartha ag FNT cé is moite den Chathaoirleach. Tá post nua á fháil ag duine acu sin ach níl aon phost nua aimsithe fós ag an duine eile.
Cuideachta dheonach uile-Éireann í Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta atá ar an bhfód ó 2003 agus a thacaíonn le seirbhísí, cúram agus oideachas trí Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil do leanaí óga ón gcliabhán amach.
Bunaíodh FNT mar chomharba ar an gComhchoiste Réamhscolaíochta Teo.
Cé go mbíodh An Comhchoiste freagrach as an tír iomlán, is iad na ceantair lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht atá faoi chúram FNT sa lá inniu.
Tá deireadh tagtha le maoiniú na heagraíochta ó Fhoras na Gaeilge ó Mheitheamh na bliana seo agus tá FNT ag baint leasa as an maoiniú a fhaigheann siad ó chlár ‘pobal’ na Roinne Oideachais chun maireachtáil go Bealtaine na bliana seo chugainn, tráth a aistreofar a gcúraimí chuig Gaelscoileanna.
Tuairisc.ie http://tuairisc.ie/cic-sa-toin-do-cheannrodaithe-na-naionrai/
Minor works grant to be paid to primary schools with temporary recognition
Eanáir 5, 2015
Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, confirmed that 55 primary schools with temporary recognition will receive the minor works grant this year.
Since 2006 the grant has only been paid to schools with permanent recognition. The Minister’s decision will now result in every primary school in the country receiving the investment.
Speaking about the announcement Minister O’Sullivan said, “In the past number of years we have reformed how schools are established. Demographic demand and future enrolment projections are now a central part of school establishment. We can now be confident that every primary that is established will have strong enrolment numbers relatively soon after opening.”
“Given this reality I can see no reason to deny access to the minor works grant to schools with temporary recognition. Within the coming days the 55 schools with temporary recognition will receive their grant funding. I know this funding is used very effectively by school management and I am glad to be able to provide equal access to all schools to this support.”
The rates payable are €5,500 per school plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil. The grant is worth €6,425 for a 50 pupil school and more than €11,000 for a 300 pupil school.
The cost of paying the grant to 55 schools with temporary recognition is approximately €400,000
The total cost of the minor works grant in 2014 is approximately €28.5m
