Catholic primary schools in Dublin must accept children of "all faiths and none" once they have enrolled all Catholic children applying for places, according to the Diocesan Education Secretary, Fr Dan O'Connor.
Fr O'Connor was responding to the publicly expressed doubts of Bishop Michael Smith of Meath about whether his church should have to provide education for those who did not "walk in the faith".
Speaking to today's Irish Times, Bishop Smith said his comments -made at recent confirmations - were designed to be provocative, as the church had to address serious issues.
It seemed to him that people in many of the new satellite towns around Dublin were wanting to have it both ways. They want the convenience of enrolling their children in the local Catholic school even when they have "little interest" in a denominational education, he commented. "I'm not sure an obligation should rest with the Catholic community to provide an education for all..." he continued.
Bishop Smith's comments drew immediate criticism from the National Parents Council (for Primary schools) which said that, in many communities, the Catholic school was the only one available. It challenged the Catholic Church nationally to state its policy on school admissions.
Fr O'Connor - who is also secretary of the national bishop's education committee – was attempting to clarify the situation in Dublin, which is the largest Diocese in country.
Fr Dan O'Connor said that Catholic schools in Dublin first take Catholic children from the parish, then those from parishes which have no school places and then they enroll children of all faiths and none who apply once that is possible.
So it seems policy in the Dublin diocese gives the thumbs down to the question raised by Bishop Smith of Meath.
And not surprisingly, because Vatican documents say Catholic schools should serve everyone in the districts in which they are located.
