The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, and the chair of the Bishop's Commission on Education Bishop, Leo O'Reilly, are to meet senior officials at the Department of Education in a week's time to discuss the transfer of Catholic schools to State patronage.
News of the planned meeting was revealed at a session of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science this morning.
More than 90% of all primary schools here are currently owned and run by the Catholic Church.
Dr Diarmuid Martin has stated on several occasions that he is willing to divest some of the schools under his patronage to allow for a plurality of educational provision.
