The Department of Education is set to review the process of divestment following what they call ‘scaremongering’ targeted at parents.

Minister for Education Joe McHugh has criticised inaccurate claims made that students would be prevented from celebrating events such as Christmas and St Patrick’s Day under alternative patrons to the Catholic patronage.

But how does the divestment process work, and why is it now under scrutiny?

John Walshe, former advisor the Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn and Vanessa Lynch, who the secretary of the parents’ committee in Scoil Duinnínigh, one of the schools affected by this, discussed the issue with Susan Keogh.