Dear Editor,
It is with great hope that I welcome the Catholic church's statement on their future role in Education (see Vision 'O8).

Essentially the Church is saying it will remain involved in Education only if parents so wish. The document outlines a multi-denominational, multi-ethnic vision for Ireland. It is timely that the Catholic Church has decided to relax its reins on education and commit to working in new ways with parents. Clearly, the Catholic Church has come to realise that it can no longer run schools without the explicit goodwill of parents and, more importantly, their input and commitment. Psychologically, this is a very positive move and it marks a new departure for Catholic education in Ireland.

As a former primary teacher and lecturer in education, I acknowledge the positive contribution the Catholic Church has made to education over time. It is in this knowledge that I am delighted with this statement by the Bishops. While many parents want a non-denominational education for their children, it would appear most parents still favour a Catholic denominational education.

However, it remains to be seen how this invitation by the Bishops will pan out in practise. My concern is that the statement may have come too late. For example, are we sure a values-based education still matters to parents or have they managed to live without the church? For sure parents know that if their children are to have a real chance of succeeding into the future that results matter, not alone in our exam-driven system but also in the knowledge society. Can this realistically happen where schools are striving to accommodate all denominations and nationalities, with English and without, given the current under-funding of primary and secondary education by this government, when our under-investment in teacher in-service education to deal with the complexities of today's classrooms is inadequate? International studies show we do not compare favourably with countries like Finland in terms of education outcomes. Even Bishop Willy Walshe himself has pointed out that parents move their kids out to country schools due to the diverse populations in town schools which put strain on teacher time and pupil achievement. In these circumstances, it is self-evident that a real partnership with parents is needed to tackle these issues. I commend the Bishops for moving the debate onto this level.

Similarly, our Government needs to show leadership and produce a vision for where education is going in Ireland, rather than just trying to survive on the back of false promises from one election to the next. I take my hat off to the Catholic Church for its efforts to engage with parents and to show real leadership in Education. The Government should follow its example.

Senator Dr Fidelma Healy Eames (Galway West),
FG spokesperson, Education & Science, Seanad Eireann

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