The Clontarf Report

Summary:

In the past twelve years, the Catholic Church, through its bishops, has introduced “Catholics First” admissions policies into National Schools under its patronage. This has removed a right of entry to local National Schools from a significant proportion of children in Ireland. This is both unconstitutional and illegal. This report looks at this issue, and how it might be tackled.

The National School system is a State system of free primary education. The central pillar of the National School system is a legal right for “children of all religions to be taught together in the same school”. A National School is a school that has subjected itself to the “Rules for National Schools”, and thereby receives State funding. There are other primary schools which receive no state funding. The State is not allowed, by the Constitution and ordinary legislation, to provide funding for schools which discriminate on religious grounds.

This report details the various constitutional and legislative measures that relate to National Schools, and shows that a “Catholics First” admissions policy in any National School is illegal.

You can download the full report in PDF here or from the Clontarf Report Website.

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