Study shows Educate Together as favourite for transfer of school patronage
Educate Together is emerging as the frontrunner to replace the Catholic Church as school patrons, in a pilot study by the Department of Education in towns nationwide.
Surveys were conducted in Arklow, Castlebar, Tramore, Trim and Whitehall.
Each of the five towns already has a Gaelscoil, which is capable of accommodating the demand expressed for Irish-language schools.
Minister Ruairí Quinn has asked the main patron in the area, the Catholic Bishop or Archbishop, to consider reconfiguring certain schools to Educate Together.
The Department wants an interim response in three months and a final response in six.
The survey, for parents of children of primary school age and younger, will be rolled out across the country in January.
