Call to cut Catholic schools’ funding ‘shocking’ – expert

“Pupils will ultimately be the ones who suffer as a result of any further cuts”

The chairman of a forum which advises the Government on the demand for alternative school patronage has been accused of rushing the process of transferring Catholic schools to other patrons.

Religious education expert and theologian Dr John Murray said he was “shocked” by Prof. John Coolahan’s suggestion that the Department of Education needed to wield a “stick” against the Catholic Church if it wanted to make progress on the divestment of schools to other patrons.

Prof. Coolahan said the Church’s refusal to take “a proactive stance” in promoting the divestment of schools undermined the process from the outset, and he suggested cuts in school funding might be considered to concentrate minds.

“I was shocked and disappointed at Prof. Coolahan’s suggestion of a financial threat to schools,” Dr Murray said.

Pressures

“Schools are already facing increased financial pressures. Pupils will ultimately be the ones who suffer as a result of any further cuts,” he warned.

Countering Prof. Coolahan’s argument, the Mater Dei Institute lecturer said the reason the divestment of patronage had not happened quickly was because of a low demand for change.

“What was originally presented by the department as a high demand for change was not actually accurate. A substantial number of parents, pupils and teachers are very happy with the current system and are reluctant to change.

“That is inevitably going to cause difficulty and slow the process down. It has nothing to do with opposition to change from the bishops as has been suggested,” he said.

Dr Murray added he found it “strange” that Prof. Coolahan would ask Church leaders to be pro-active in the process of handing over some Catholic schools to secular patrons.

Community

“A bishop’s responsibility is to provide for his Catholic community, so it would be unfair to ask him to push for change unless there is a strong demand for it.

“There is no need to rush this process. It will take time to get it right,” he said.