Educate Together are calling for a Citizens’ Assembly to “modernise” the education system.  

Educate Together is not being sanctioned to open a new school this year - the first time in 14 years.  

For the first time since 2009, the Government is not seeking to open another non-denominational school. 

Educate Together CEO Emer Nowlan said, despite soaring demand for multi-denominational education, the Government has done little over the last decade to modernise the school system. 

“The Government has a target of 400 multi-denominational schools by 2030,” she said. “But there’s no strategy, there’s no plans, there’s no interim targets.” 

“There are four whole counties in Ireland where parents have no choice but to send their children to a denominational primary school.” 

There are no Educate Together schools in Longford, Leitrim, Roscommon and Tipperary. 

At their AGM, Ms Nowlan said Educate Together schools are thriving wherever they have been allowed to open.

She added it's simply unfair that access to non-denominational schools depends on where someone lives. 

Educate Together, which represents 96 primary and 21 second-level "equality-based" schools around the country, is calling for a Citizens' Asembly to address patronage in the education system. 

The 2020 Programme for Government promises a Citizens' Assembly for the future of education in Ireland.  

“Action needs to be taken now,” Ms Nowlan said. “The Citizens' Assembly that was promised needs to be held and needs to address school patronage.” 

Some 90% of all primary schools still have Catholic patronage, despite the declining number of stated Catholics in the country.