The INTO is seeking a review of the management of primary schools amid continuing controversy about the dominant role of the Catholic Church.
However the proposal has drawn a cool response from Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, who said yesterday that existing structures were working well.
Department of Education sources, referring to an opinion poll last year, said there appeared to be no great demand for fundamental change.
Figures released yesterday show that 92 per cent of the 3,299 primary schools in the State operate under the aegis of the Catholic Church. Only 1 per cent of schools are multi-denominational. Six per cent of schools represent other Christian faiths and 2 per cent represent non-Christian faiths.
The department says it is keen to respond to the changing demands. Ms Hanafin said although "the relationship that is there has worked well over the years ... there is now more choice entering the education system. Of the 19 new primary schools opened in the last two years, nine are multi-denominational, five are gaelscoilleanna and five are denominational, so you can see the change that is happening."
The department's survey was conducted last year by the Education Research Centre in Dublin. It showed majority support for existing management structures and little public concern about the largely denominational nature of Irish school management.
