Diversity in education must be welcomed

The final report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector represents a positive roadmap towards a more diverse future in education in this region. Despite the good work done by schools under the patronage of the local Catholic dioceses of Ardagh and Clonmacnois on the eastern bank of the Shannon and Elphin on the western bank, there is clearly a need for wider educational options in this town. There is non-denominational or multi-denominational choice of schools in the Athlone area. The Athlone Mixed National School is a Church of Ireland school, whilst the remainder are Catholic. It is clearly unsustainable that those of minority faiths or of no faith are forced to enrol their children in schools operated under a religious ethos. This is particularly so when the salaries of the teachers in those schools are paid by the State. The forum hosted by the advisory group heard 96 per cent of primary schools are under denominational patronage. About 3,000 of the 3,200 primary schools in the State are managed by the Catholic Church. Importantly, the report aims to harness the support of the various partners in the educational system for the changes. It says parents should be encouraged to indicate their preference for the education of the children as part of the process to decide which schools should be transferred out of the patronage of churches. And it has highlighted the urgency of the situation by asking bishops to provide reports on schools within their dioceses within the next six months. The decision to ask the department to then adjudicate on the particular schools to be divested by the church is also welcome. However, the department has been asked to base its choices on the report of the bishop and the preference of parents. Crucially, the report also says that where significant demand already exists, there should be no delays. Westmeath defy the odds, and the critics Well done to the footballers of Westmeath who overcame the odds by retaining their Allianz NFL Division Two status for the coming years. The success over Derry in Cusack Park, Mullingar, on Sunday ensured the Lake County avoided relegation. It was also a vindication of manager Pat Flanagan, his selectors, and most importantly, the panel of players, many of whom are young and inexperienced, and who received undue criticism during an, at times, stormy league campaign. Before the weekend, Westmeath had suffered four defeats, including one to Meath, and were behind the other relegation-threatened sides on score difference. On a day when the win was vital, the Lake County found something extra, and took an eight point victory over Derry. Their next big challenge is next month when they face Louth in the opening round of the Leinster Senior Football Championship. However they fare during the Leinster Championships, the players deserve huge credit for their unyielding commitment and refusal to buckle under significant pressure. It's now time for the critics to show their support for the squad in the months ahead.