Proposals put forward by Education Minister Richard Bruton to ban the baptism barrier from school admissions have been welcomed by parents who feel they had no other option but to have their child baptised.
Seamus Mulconry, General Secretary of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, argues that pupils are only refused in cases of oversubscription, and not according to their religious background. He doesn't think the latest proposal would have any significant change.
"I think there's a misunderstanding out there - 95 per cent of Catholic schools basically admit everybody. Only five per cent of them are oversubscribed. The problem isn't about religion. It's about resources and a lack of school places, and I don't think the Minister knows where the tightness is in the market."
"All it will do for a small number of people is change who is disappointed."
"If we have the space, we will take everybody. We have no wish to exclude."
Michael Barron, Director of Equate Ireland, would like to see an end to the baptism barrier.
"We're working towards an education system where all children are accepted regardless of their religion. I think the proposal is very positive. Our stated position is that the baptism barrier being used as a criteria for admission should be removed completely."
"In Ireland we have robust equality legislation which outlaws discrimination on the grounds of religion to any service that's funded by the state. But there was one exemption, and that was that schools were allowed to in terms of admissions."
