Parents Prefer Multi-Denominational Schools in Ireland

0:00On April 7th, a new survey from Ireland's Department of Education shows about 40% of parents with kids in religious primary schools want them to switch to multi-denominational ones instead. That's a big signal for change in school ethos nationwide. They got responses from over 41% of eligible households, more than 200,000 validated replies out of 400, 93,000 possible. Digging deeper, places like Wicklow saw nearly half those parents pushing for multi-denomin schools while Waterford, Dublin, Cork, and Kildare hit, 44% to 45%. On the flip side, counties like Donogall, Longford, and Monahan were lower, around 30%. Keep in mind, over 90% of primaries here are Catholic run. Parents also weighed in on other stuff, in the 276 single-sex schools, 73% favor going co-ed, and 13% of those in English medium schools prefer Irish instruction.

1:01This gives a national snapshot, but local vibes matter most. Now, the department sending detailed reports to all 3,200 participating schools soon, covering current and incoming kids. Prefs, they'll also consult stakeholders on handling opt-outs from religious classes. The primary teachers' union is calling out delays, and wants staff survey data released fast to push real choice. These findings highlight a real hunger for options in Irish primaries, and with school-level reports dropping, we'll see how communities steer there. Own pass forward. European news, powered by AI. This is Europe News Today.