(Dublin West): Nuair a briseadh Tomás Ó Dúlaing as a phost mar phríomhoide ar Scoil Thulach na n-Óg i nDún Bóinne, déanadh seo toisc gur sheas sé i gcoinne leanaí a dheighilt ar bhun creidimh – sé sin ar bhun seicteach – le linn ceachta creidimh taobh istigh de ghnáth am clár na scoile. Tá dualgas trom ar an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta cur in aghaidh an chinnidh seo – príomhoide cróga, díograsach a bhriseadh as a phost. Glaoím ar an Aire a rá go dearfa go bhfuil sé in aghaidh an bhrisidh seo agus go gcuirfidh sé scéala chuig An Foras Patrúnachta nach glacfaidh sé leis, agus go gcuirfidh sé cumhacht oifige agus cumhacht na Roinne taobh thiar de seo.
I am most displeased that the Minister for Education and Science is not here tonight to reply directly to this critical issue that has emerged in education. Today, Tomás Ó Dúlaing, the principal of the interdenominational gaelscoil in Dunboyne, County Meath, was sacked from his position by the school board of management. Tomás Ó Dúlaing's offence was to refuse to segregate little children during school hours on the basis of their religious denomination or, more correctly, the religious denomination of their parents.
Last year, a policy decision was taken by the parents, all the teachers and the board of management that children of Protestant and Catholic families would have a common religious instruction on the doctrines on which the churches agree and that the minority doctrine on which disagreement existed would be taught outside school hours, thereby having a policy of avoiding the segregation of children during school hours on a religious basis. An Foras Patrúnachta, the patron body of gaelscoileanna, set out to overturn that policy and insisted on Protestant children effectively being sent out of the class or to be otherwise engaged while certain elements of doctrine were being taught.
It is appalling that a society which has seen the fruits of sectarian education in Northern Ireland should, in 2002, see a policy of apartheid being introduced which children do not comprehended and which is not wanted by their parents. In a recent letter to The Irish Times, a parent stated that at recent parent meetings more than 75% of the school community have been in favour of the policy that had been in place and behind the principal, Tomás Ó Dúlaing. The letter went on to say that if An Foras Patrúnachta succeeds in its objectives, this parent's child, who is so far unaware of any significant difference between himself and his Protestant peers, will be forced to witness religious segregation on a regular basis.
That raises the question of democratic control of education. The Catholic hierarchy should explain if it had a role in overturning the policy decision taken by the parents and the teachers last year and if it advised An Forus Patrúnachta to overturn this policy of opposition to segregation. If this is coming from the church, it should not be accepted, especially in a month when its care for other children in other circumstances was less than what was desired.
The INTO should vehemently oppose this position and all teachers' unions should take a stand. It raises the need for an education system that is democratically controlled but the most crucial question is whether the Minister for Education and Science will stand up in favour of the policy of opposition to segregating children and, therefore, vehemently oppose the sacking of Tomás Ó Dúlaing.
Tomás Ó Dúlaing is a highly competent, popular, principled and committed educator who is threatened with paying a heavy price for his stand against sectarian division of children in this State in 2002. He is a married man with a young family who is threatened with the loss of his job. He may not be employed by other patron bodies if this is confirmed. He must not be forced to pay such a price for his support for open and non-sectarian education. The Government has a serious responsibility to see to it that he is not called upon to do so.
