Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has been urged not to rush ahead with plans to put Catholic schools under secular control.

The Irish Examiner reports how Bishop Leo O'Reilly of Kilmore said it would be "extremely unwise" to push through the changes too quickly.

Mr Quinn is planning to hand over 50 primary schools, with the bishop claiming rushing the move could cause trouble.

"It's a position that essentially suggests freedom of religion is freedom from religion - that’s a crucial distinction and worrying in itself," Mr O'Reilly commented. 

He criticised the suggestion that there should be no prayers in schools, in case those without faith are "impinged upon" by religious content.

Bodies that wish to become school patrons have been invited to make their interest known to the Department of Education.

The divesting of patronage of Catholic schools has been announced in a bid to make primary education more diverse in areas where there is little or no other choice of schooling.

Written by Donal Walsh

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