Significant number of parents in Laois want more non-religious-run schools

A national survey has this week revealed that a significant number of parents in Laois would prefer their children to attend a multi-denominational school, despite only one such school existing in the county.

The results of the recent survey on school type preference was announced by the Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton on Tuesday, April 7.

The survey showed that 40% of parents in religious-run schools nationally would prefer a multi-denominational primary school and 34.2% of families in Laois would prefer a multi-denominational education. 

This significant figure contrasts starkly with the current provision of schools in Laois where only 1 of the 63 primary schools in the county have a multi-denominational ethos. Portlaoise Educate Together National School is the only school of this type in Laois.

The primary school has welcomed the report and said that parents in many parts of the county have no choice other than to send their children to a denominational primary school.

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Educate Together has been providing equality-based education in Ireland for nearly 50 years and in Portlaoise since 2010. 

The school says that the results of the survey reflect their experience through the years, with the demand for its schools rapidly increasing. The organisation has opened 60 schools in the past 15 years alone in response to this demand. 

The first Catholic school in Ireland to transfer patronage in 2024, Paradise Place Educate Together National School, is now a thriving equality-based school at the heart of its community in Dublin. 

The organisation said they hope to work with more Laois-based families in the future to expand access to equality-based education around the county.   

Commenting on the survey's results, Schools Development Officer for Educate Together, Edward Platt said: "These national results are very encouraging for the future of school choice in County Laois. At Educate Together we regularly engage with families and local communities who are frustrated by the lack of multi-denominational / equality-based school places available to them.

"Now that The Department of Education has provided statistically valid data to show that more than 34% of parents in Laois want their child to have access to a multi-denominational school, we need to see action taken to make this a reality."

Educate Together is urging the Government to announce school level data for Laois soon, and to provide adequate resourcing and investment to support the next steps of the process, so that choice can be provided in the county. 

Mr Platt concluded: "The next step of the Department of Education’s action plan is for schools to receive an individualised report on the survey results specific to their school community. Educate Together looks forward to engaging with schools following this next stage of the process and exploring potential patronage transfer where demand exists."

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