State, church and school patronage

Sir, – Educate Together principal Colette Kavanagh is quoted as describing Ireland's system of school patronage as an international anomaly ("School admission policies have led to segregation, says principal", October 2nd). She is very definitely wrong. The five state-funded schools in southeast England in which I served were and continue to be under church patronage.

These schools were usually the most socially and ethnically inclusive schools in very deprived inter-city areas. – Yours, etc,

ALAN WHELAN,

Beaufort,

Co Kerry.