The present system is working, people may not get what they imagine they will. Tried to set up a multi denominational school some years ago and discovered that the main motive of others was not education but to topple the time tested excellent, if not perfect, Catholic model.

You understand that multi-denominational is different to non-denominational?

Exactly, I’ve always thought the same.
I am not a religious person and to be honest whatever religion I did learn in school went in one ear and out the other. I would have been much better off having an extra maths or english glass every day instead, would have served me better.
If I wanted to learn religion I would have gone to mass.

And the same should apply to religion and health…

And religion and politics…

Such a stupid comment, the vast majority of priests, nuns and brothers of this country gave a fantastic education to us both here in Ireland and around the world. They also worked themselfs to the bone working with the poor and disadvantaged of society for so little pay and some still do. It’s most annoying when ignorant people like you have to bring sex into every conversation when ever religion is mentioned, for once let’s just have a conversation without blaming them for one thing or another, they have feelings too, at the end of the day they play an important role in society and I for one am very happy with all they have done for me and many more in society and around the world.By the way I love being a catholic and yes I did receive a great education from them. So come on blast me as well for acknowledging their good work.

Marie ask all those people who have trusted the church only for that trust to be completely shattered.

Maire I went to a christian brother school where the shit was kicked out of me & I was one of the lucky ones I wasnt raped. I suffered mental health issues later in life that I can link to these beatings. I also had one christian brother & he was a very decent teacher & man but he was unable to help because of the policy of cruelty in our school. So the vast majority is not a number or an accurate view of religious schools. If the religious indoctrinated teachers of these schools were not raping or beating these children they were complicit. While a lot of the religious orders do what you call good work for little or no gain this is false as the purpose of their work is to proselytise. That is their agenda.

The old, ‘Ah sure it was only a little bit of rape’ argument.

The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland sat and listened to what Brendan Smyth did and stood by while he carried on for decades more.

This organisation has no place in Irish education. I can live with other people choosing it for their own children but it makes me seethe when I don’t have an alternative for my own.

Well thats the beauty of a democracy.

Off course my lieutenant!

I cannot agree, for two reasons: state-funded religious schools exclude anybody who is not of that religious belief (yes they do!) and in this country we have a very sizeable minority of people who fall into the category of either minority religion or no religion. It is ridiculous to say that we can have a separate school for all of these different categories in each town in the land. What will happen is that we will have a Catholic school for the (small) majority and the minority will just have to subject their children to it or travel a great distance out of their area to another school. This is just ridiculous, when there is a perfect solution and that is to educate children together, rather than in segregated education. Surely we have moved beyond segregation. A multi-denominational education respects all people from all backgrounds and does not seek to indoctrinate. I criticise the survey for its preamble which only speaks of the different backgrounds of families, and does not mention the idea that you may actually want your child to go to a multi-denominational school and mix with children from other religious beliefs and none, even if you are a religious person – we know from surveys that this is increasingly the case. So this survey is a bit of a sham in that it puts the onus on parents, rather than providing an education that is open to all and does not exclude many.

I don’t really see how freedom of religion means that parents have a right for their children to be educated in their particular religion under the national curriculum. They are still free to practice it in their own time.

Religion is not being suppressed here so the right to practice it is not infringed. Parents can do it in their own time so why should children be forced into religion? If preference wasn’t given to Catholic children in most schools, it is likely that most people wouldn’t bother. Schools are mostly funded by govt now anyway and what isn’t is raised by parents and fundraising not the Church.

If I want a car I go to a dealer. If I want religion I go to a church.

The current Catholic church patrons provide little or no funding to schools.

Your question as to whether the Government really wants to take over the schools suggests that you have not looked at the details of this process. There are a number of different patrons who have expressed interest in running schools in the different areas. The VECs (the only patron you could call Government) are just one of the options. The other main players are Educate Together and An Foras Patrunachta. In the initial set of surveys carried out late last year Educate Together was the most popular choice in all of the areas.

WTF? I hope you’re joking.

Pat, where did you get that notion? Data to support please. I didn’t know that Etonian, Oxford et al are Catholic!

Ironic isn’t it, Christian establishments catering only to the rich!!!

I think it’s because there is enough school places so the results won’t be skewed to protect the advantage of being Catholic. Nothing to gain or loose should result in finding out what people really want.