Internal Department of Education documents obtained by RTÉ under Freedom of Information legislation show that the Department of Education gave guarantees that Catholic children in the new schools would receive a full separate Catholic religious education, even though it was already clear that Catholic children would be in a minority in the new schools.
New Details Of State Guarantees To Catholic Church Over Primary School Education (RTE)
In 2007 the effects of unprecedented levels of immigration plunged the education system here into crisis. Suddenly it was clear that there were not enough Primary school places to cater for all. It was also clear that our traditional, largely Catholic primary school system needed urgent reform.
The then Minister for Education Mary Hanafin announced a brand new kind of school called the Community National School. Its aim; to educate all comers, from all religious backgrounds and none.
But, according to papers obtained by RTE:
State gave Commitments To Catholic Church On Education (RTE)
