Minister for Education must remove cap on Educate Together enrolment
Labour Party Education spokesperson, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has called on the Minister for Education, Richard Bruton, to remove the cap on enrolment of Educate Together schools.
Senator Ó Ríordáin said:
“Reports from around the country about the Department of Education and Skills’ insistence on putting an enrolment cap on Educate Together schools is deeply concerning.
“Under Labour in Government, the number of Educate Together schools at both primary and secondary level expanded rapidly throughout the country.
“The success of our initiative has been shown in many school communities where many of these schools are struggling to cater for demand.
“The Minister for Education therefore must explain why out of the blue that his Department have decided to place an enrolment cap on one particular type of primary school.
“This decision gives credence to the suspicion that the Department of Education has a bias against multi-denominational education, as so many Educate Together campaigns have halted since Labour left Government.
“The Minister for Education must now move to remove the enrolment cap on Educate Together schools in New Ross, Tramore, Trim, Castlebar, and Tuam.”