In the last number of years there has been considerable progress towards increasing the number of multi-denominational schools with 52 of the 53 new primary schools and 44 of the 50 new post-primary schools established since 2011 having a multi-denominational ethos.
Patronage transfers have taken place in recent years, resulting in the provision of:
- 14 multi-denominational community national schools under the ETBs. (This number includes two new multi-denominational schools which have been announced as part of the 2022/23 pilot).
- in 2021, an Irish-medium gaelscoil in Dublin (Scoil Chaitlín Maude) transferred patronage from its Catholic patron to An Foras Pátrúnachta. This school offers parents of junior infants the choice of undertaking an Ethics and Morality Programme or a Catholic Programme.
- a gaelscoil in Gorey under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta (Gaelscoil Moshíológ) changed to a multi-denominational ethos, on a phased basis from September 2022.
Separately 12 primary schools have been established under the patronage divesting process, all of which have a multi-denominational ethos. In two of the patronage divesting areas, the demographics increased sufficiently to warrant the establishment of new schools for demographic purposes outside of the divesting process and new multi-denominational schools have been established in these areas.
There are currently 168 primary schools with a multi-denominational or inter-denominational ethos. For historical reasons, most primary schools are State-aided parish schools, with the local Bishop as patron, although this pattern is changing. It is recognised, including by the Catholic patrons, that more diverse provision is required to cater for our changing society.
The Schools Recon?guration for diversity process, supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local communities, has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational schools.
During 2022/23 a structured engagement process took place with school communities in a number of towns and areas of cities that had no multi-denominational primary schools. This process aimed to identify potential schools and to engage with school authorities, school staff and the school communities with a view to agreeing on a transfer of patronage and change of ethos, where there was sufficient demand for this. Two schools, Cornamaddy National School in Athlone and St. Enda’s Primary School in Whitefriar Street, Dublin 8, have transferred from Catholic patronage to the local Education and Training Board, becoming multi-denominational community national schools. My Department is hopeful that there will be a number of other transfers of patronage and change of ethos to multi-denominational in the short-term.
When a school transfers from the patronage of one patron to another, the school remains open with the same roll number and operating from the same school property. All state-funded primary schools follow a common national curriculum and are subject to the same department rules and regulations.
It is intended that the review of the 2022/23 engagement process will be finalised and published, following consultation with relevant stakeholders. It is envisaged that it will include a framework for delivering on the Government commitment for increasing multi-denominational provision.
The Government’s goal remains to establish a strong process, that has the support of patrons and local communities, and which will enable us to continue to increase the number of multi-denominational primary schools across the country.
To assist school patrons and school communities, my Department has published a guidance pack, setting out some general and practical information relating to transfer of patronage which may be useful for parents/guardians, pupils and school communities and school authorities and staff where transfer of patronage of a school is being considered or implemented.
This information pack is available from the schools reconfiguration page of the gov.ie website.
