Cork parents set to take part in planned survey on multi-denominational schools 

PARENTS will be polled this year about the teaching of religion in primary schools.

A government publication, ‘Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity’, explains: “Children in multi-denominational schools learn about all faiths and belief systems [for example atheistic and humanist perspectives] as part of the school day.”

The target is to increase the number of multi-denominational primary schools to 400 by 2030, but according to 2023 enrolment figures from the Department of Education, of 3,100 mainstream national schools in Ireland, 2,700 are still Catholic.

Nationally, there are 150 multi-denominational mainstream schools, and 200 schools under other religious patronage. There are also 16 inter-denominational schools which are under the patronage or trusteeship of more than one religious faith community, which are generally under a joint Catholic/Protestant religious ethos.

In Cork, there are 350 Catholic primary schools, and fewer than 40 non-Catholic schools, the majority of which are under Church of Ireland patronage, and 13 of which are multi-denominational.

These include Educate Together schools on Grattan St and Tramore Rd in the city, as well as in Carrigaline, Midleton, Douglas/Rochestown, Fermoy, and Owenabue.

Cork ETB also has two multi-denominational schools: Carrigtwohill and Mallow Community National Schools. There are four multi-denominational Gaelscoilenna — in Montenotte, Clonakilty, Glanmire, and Coolroe.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said that the survey is being finalised, but that it will ask just one question: Do you want a multi-denominational school in your area?

The survey would be aimed at parents and people planning on having children, and is likely to be done using eircodes, so that a respondent’s vote would count towards their local school catchment area.

Dr Séamus Conboy, the director of Schools at ETBI, told The Echo that they “fully support the upcoming Department of Education survey”.

“ETBI has a lot of experience in supporting school communities in moving from a religious ethos to a multi-denominational ethos and changing to the Community National School model.

“Since 2017, we have done this with 15 primary schools, where the school community wanted the school to change to a multi-denominational ethos, and all of the schools that have gone through this process are thriving.

“What they like about the Community National School model is its inclusive ethos for all children and also the supports the school gets from the local Education and Training Board.”