Now I'm listening to Cécile Benoit, doctoral student and French language assistant, discuss diversity, religion and primary education in Irish and British schools - it's very interesting because Ireland still outsources primary education to the Catholic Church (and to a lesser extent the Church in Ireland Anglicans), despite the increasing immigrant population of Dublin and the frequent sex scandals engulfing the church. She hasn't mentioned the decline of the Celtic Tiger and the recent reports, but it's still a very sophisticated account of the deal made (unwillingly) between the State and the Churches. The comparison with Birmingham, which deals with massively diverse intakes very differently, is fascinating. Ireland is only slowly becoming a diverse society, so has a lot to learn. She's just said only 1% of National (primary) schools cater for non-Christian children (one Jewish school and two Islamic ones), and only 7% are for non-Catholics - interesting position given the Constitution's commitment to equal opportunities. There are some multi-denominational schools.
Cécile is French, so I wonder if she'll raise the French model: strict secularism in state institutions (laïcité). It's what I'd introduce.
Update: she does like the French system but feels that laïcite is too distinctively French to be imported wholesale. She also thinks that the State/Church relationship won't change because the State was utterly complicit and in any case can't afford to properly nationalise the schools - shamefully.
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