Education Minister Ruairi Quinn will meet with the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin later this week to discuss the future of school patronage in the Irish education system.

The Irish Independent has revealed that the pair will join at a forum tomorrow (April 19th 2011) in order to determine the church's role in the nation's schools.

Earlier this month, Mr Quinn launched the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector in an effort to divest the Roman Catholic Church's authority over education establishments in the country.

He has stated that 1,500 primary schools should be taken out of control of the church and given to other authorities.

However, his plans are likely to be opposed by the Archbishop and the Catholic Schools Partnership has released a paper stating that church-run schools "form a central part of the education system" in many countries.

Mr Quinn is expected to hear all opinions supporting and criticising his plans at the meeting tomorrow.

Written by Donal Walsh  

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