By Kim O'Leary
A number of Catholic primary schools in Co Kildare will see the introduction of new rules banning discrimination against children who are not baptised in their school admission policies, with the Minister for Education confirming that the changes will be in place by September 2019.
Yesterday, the Cabinet approved a proposed amendment to remove the "baptism barrier" for Catholic primary schools, which had required children wishing to enter schools to have been baptised.
Education Minister Richard Bruton has announced the "baptism barrier" change as part of the wider reform of school admissions, while it also approved new powers for the minister to compel schools to open specialised facilities for children with disabilities where there is a need for he specialised facilities.
Speaking of the baptism barrier ban, Minister Bruton said: "It is unfair that a local child of no religion is passed over in favour of a child of religion, living some distance away for access to their local school. Parents should not feel pressured to baptise their child to get access to their local school.
The baptism barrier has been a hotly debated topic in recent years with previous ministers for education being advised that it was not legally possible to enforce the ban, although a spokesperson for the Department of Education said that they had "worked extensively with the Office of the Attorney General to ensure the amendments being introduced are constitutionally robust".
All of the country's 2,800 Catholic primary schools will have to rewrite their admissions policies and remove religion as a criterion for entry. However, not all Catholic schools will be materially affected, as most, particularly in rural areas, can accommodate all newcomers.
Meanwhile, the other two amendments also passed in the Cabinet yesterday provide for Irish medium schools to give priority to Irish-speaking children and give power to the minister to require a school to open a special class for children with special educational needs.
Other key features of the proposed legislation include a ban on school waiting lists and a ban on deposits in non fee-charging schools.
Mr Bruton has also confirmed that, for the first time, there will be a cap, of 25pc, on the number of places schools may reserve for children of past pupils.
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