Address by Baroness Nuala O’Loan at a National Conference on the future of faith-based schools organised by The Irish Catholic.
Education Conference – 20th Oct 2016
Over 200 stakeholders in faith schools together with educators gathered for a series of presentations from a panel of high profile speakers drawn from Ireland and Britain.
Among those speaking on the day were Francis Campbell, Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s Univeristy, Twickenham, and his colleague, the Rt Honourable Ruth Kelly, Britain’s former Secretary of State for Education. Baroness Nuala O’Loan and Prof. Daire Keogh from St Patrick’s College Drumcondra.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin provided the day’s opening address, setting the tone for the theme of ‘The future of faith-based schools in a pluralist society’ when he stressed that
“a closed, ghetto faith-based school would betray the very nature of education…If a faith school is to win acceptance in today’s society, it must convincingly show that it offers a true vision of education and show how this vision is beneficial to society.”
for more info – www.irishcatholic.ie.
Edited versions of the five main addresses are available in this week’s newspaper (27th Oct 2016).