BishopAccountability.org
	On Catholic Schools Irish Times June 11, 2009 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0611/1224248615224.html THE BISHOPS discussed the role of Catholic schools in Irish society in the wake of the publication of the Ryan report. There have been calls from politicians and in the media for the Catholic Church to be removed from the provision of primary education. "The Catholic Church is one patron among many different patron bodies providing primary education in Ireland. School patrons, whether Catholic or otherwise, are fully accountable and operate under State regulation. "Specifically, the safety and welfare of pupils in our schools are assured by State law and regulation. "The standards that operate to safeguard children in our schools are those contained in the State's own Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children (1999), the Department of Education and Science's own Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures (2001) and in relevant legislation, and not those of an individual school patron (eg Catholic bishop). "There is no ambiguity on this important issue: the State's child protection standards apply to all schools and they require that each school have its own designated liaison person to receive and report complaints. That person must be a member of the school staff. Because of these standards and procedures, primary schools are very safe and supportive environments for children." "It is important to emphasise that school life and management are regulated by the State. "The Education Act 1998 and subsequent legislation, as well as departmental guidelines and circulars, determine the day to day running of schools. "Whole school evaluation, conducted by the schools' inspectorate, is now a feature of all primary schools. This involves a minute examination, not just of what happens in the school, but also of the working of the board of management and the involvement of the patron. "The Catholic Church is committed to continuing to provide Catholic schools to cater for the needs of parents who wish their children to have a Catholic education. The Church accepts and supports choice and diversity within a national education system. "We believe that parents who desire schools under different patronage should, where possible, be facilitated in accessing them. "It is the role of the State to provide for the education needs of communities, and the Church will engage with the State, and other education partners, in this. In areas where the population has changed, there are sometimes more Catholic schools than are required by the local community. "In these locations this will mean reducing the number of Catholic schools, and we are ready to do this. "Of course we recognise that the local community: parents, staffs and boards and management, have to be consulted in any such change of patronage or ownership."
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