Paul Keenan
Just 1.2% of applicants for admission turned down by schools in Dublin were on the basis of no baptismal certificate, a new survey by the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) has shown.
Prompted to undertake the study amid an ongoing debate around the so-called ‘baptism barrier’ and Minister for Education Richard Bruton’s proposed consultation on the issue, the CPSMA sent surveys to 456 schools in the capital, receiving 384 responses to its question on admission policy and baptism certificates.
Responses
Those responses demonstrated that only 17 schools refused enrolment on issues relating to baptism certificates, just 4.4% of the total. All of the 17 were oversubscribed by 2.1 applicants per place, the CPSMA further revealed.
Unveiling the findings, the CPSMA general secretary, Seamus Mulconry said, “That the issue the Minister rightfully seeks to address is more to do with the lack of school places, than anything to do with an issue surrounding baptism certificates is demonstrated starkly by these figures.”
Mulconry went on to describe the focus on the ‘baptism barrier’ as “frankly insulting to the principals, staff and volunteer boards of management of Catholic schools throughout the State”.
“No Catholic school requires a baptism certificate as an absolute condition of enrolment and Catholic schools are inclusive and welcoming environments to children from all faith backgrounds and none.”
Pointing to the “acute shortage of school places” in Dublin revealed through the survey, Mulconry added that “the real issue is one of resources and the need to create school places through the opening of new schools or the expansion of existing ones”.
