Spatial JusticeSpatial Justice and Primary Educationy

Gerry Kearns, National University ofGerry Kearns, National University of Ireland Maynooth

D id M di h TDavid Meredith, Teagasc

Religion of the census population of Dublin (left) and the other 25 counties of the Republic of Ireland, 1891‐2011

Birthplace of the census population of Dublin (left) and the other 25 counties of the Republic of Ireland, 1901‐2011

Religious affiliation of Irish‐born and foreign‐born population of the Republic offoreign‐born population of the Republic of 

Ireland, 2011

60%

80%

100%

60%

80%

100%

Northern Ireland

60%

80%

100%

0%

20%

40%

60%

1981 1990 1999 20080%

20%

40%

60%

1981 1990 1999 20080%

20%

40%

60%

1981 1990 1999 2008

60%

80%

100%

1981 1990 1999 2008

Republic of  Ireland

80%

100%

80%

100%

0%

20%

40%

60%

1981 1990 1999 2008 0%

20%

40%

60%

1981 1990 1999 20080%

20%

40%

60%

1981 1990 1999 2008 1981 1990 1999 2008

80%

100%

80%

100% 100%

Republic of  Ireland (Catholics only)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

0%1981 1990 1999 2008

0%1981 1990 1999 2008

0%1981 1990 1999 2008

Attendance at religious service for age‐groups (from left) 15‐29, 30‐49, 50 and over showing (from top of bar) the proportion attending less g ( p ) p p gthan once per year, at least once per year but not as often as once per week, and at least weekly (European Values Study)

Civil marriages,Civil marriages, 1951‐2011 (%)

MarriagesMarriages, Dublin 2002‐2011 (%)

Divorces(per thousand 

i )marriages), 1997‐20061997 2006

Births outside marriage (%), 1940 20101940‐2010

Naming practices, Republic ofRepublic of Ireland, 1958 and 2011

Ethos: Primary School Children and the Capacity of Primary Schools

Primary School EthosEthos of Primary School Children

Roman CatholicRoman Catholic

Non RC / Non Religious

Non RC / Non ReligiousUnknown

Children and SchoolsJourney to Work data – 18,488 areas244,581 girls of primary school age, g p y g256,893 boys of primary school ageReligious affiliation of parents given

Department of Education – 3,165 schoolsEthos of school givenEnrolment in school

Teachers, pupil capacity

15,633 areas with no school2,589 with one school

263 with more than one school

Distribution and Ethos of Schools (2011)281 Non RC Schools

180 Church of Ireland73 Multi Dom14 Presbyterian 8 Inter Dom2 Muslim1 Jewish1 Methodist1 Quaker1 Quaker1 Unknown

Number of Primary School ChildrenNumber of Primary School Children45000

35000

40000

45000

dren

20000

25000

30000

mary Scho

ol Child

10000

15000

20000

Num

ber o

f Prim

Non RC / No Religion

Roman Catholic

0

5000

rlow

City blin

ngal

own

are

nny

aois

ford

outh

eath

faly

eath

ford low

are

City

unty

erry

City

unty

orth

outh

City

unty

City

unty

trim

ayo

mon ligo

van

egal

han

Roman Catholic

Car

Dub

lin C

Sou

th D

u Fin

haire

-Rat

hdo

Kild

Kilk

en LaLo

ngf

Lo Me Off

Wes

tme

Wex

fW

ick Cl

Cor

k C

Cor

k C

ou KeLi

mer

ick

CLi

mer

ick

Cou

Tipp

erar

y N

oTi

pper

ary

SoW

ater

ford

CW

ater

ford

Cou

Gal

way

CG

alw

ay C

ou Leit Ma

Ros

com

m Sl Cav

Don

eM

onag

h

Dún

Lao

g W

Distribution of primary school children (Km2)

Frequency Distribution of Travel to School Time

40

35

40

Roman CatholicNon RC

25

30

up

Non RC

15

20

glio

us g

rou

5

10

% o

f reg

0

5

0 - 5 6 - 10 11 - 15 16 - 20 21 - 25 26 - 30 31 - 35 36 - 40 41 - 45 46 - 50 51 - 55 65+MinutesMinutes

Frequency Distribution of Travel Time

Spatial JusticeSpatial Justice

• Model possible travel to school

• Assume schools will fill up with local andAssume schools will fill up with local and suitable children

C l l j h l• Calculate journeys to school

• Reallocate schools until the journey to school j yis not dramatically different between different groupsgroups

Reinforcing inflexibilityReinforcing inflexibility

196 i l S h l l h d k• 1965. National School Rules changed to make religious education the primary educational 

f h lpurpose of a school• 1971. Religion to infuse the entire school curriculum

• 1996. Some limited diversity of stakeholders on board of management but ethos replaces education as primary purpose of school

• 1998. Patron given greater control over composition of  board of managementp g

Future issuesFuture issues

F li C th li dh t t t• Funneling – Catholic adherence to get access to secondary school of choice

• Real estate transfer of assets from publicly• Real estate – transfer of assets from publicly funded schools to religious trusts

• Preparation for multi faith and no faith society• Preparation for multi‐faith and no‐faith society• Preference for multi‐denominational education shown by Catholics enrolling for Educateshown by Catholics enrolling for Educate Together, leaving more non‐Catholics without effective choice

• Rights of the child – right to education based on reason not faith; cf European Conventionp