At the conclusion of the Board of Education debate today at General Synod, the Synod passed a motion stating that it "unreservedly supports the Transferor Representatives' Council in seeking the continuation of rights given to the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland, on the transfer of their schools to the state."

The motion goes on to state that included amongst those rights are "the legal right to appoint governors to those transferred schools and their successors and the right to membership of the regional ownership and decision making bodies for those schools and their successors."

The motion refers to the fact that with the advent of free education in Northern Ireland, most of the then-Protestant run schools were transferred to state governance with the churches retaining the right to appoint governors and have appointees on the Education and Library Boards. Present proposals under the Education Bill 2008 will establish an Education and Skills Authority to replace the Education and Library Boards and will remove the automatic right of the Transferors to representation on the Authority. 

Supporting the motion (while also proposing acceptance of the Board of Education report) the Revd Canon John McKegney (Armagh) said that "under the Education and Skills Authority the Catholic Church will maintain its rights to manage its own schools but there would be no position by right on decision making bodies for controlled schools for representatives of the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist churches, all of whom transferred their schools in good faith. Quite simply the three churches see this as an issue of parity of treatment." 

He continued, "the three main Protestant churches, from which all Church transferors come, do not want simply to mirror the Roman Catholic sector - we know our schools are different and that we serve in a pluralist setting. We are not asking to run controlled schools, simply to be a rightful partner along with others from the community and professionals with a say in the planning, development and advocacy for those schools."

In other Northern Ireland Education matters in the course of the debate on the Board of Education report, the Revd Canon Ian Ellis (Dromore) referred to Safeguarding Trust and to new proposals in Northern Ireland on vetting. “This will make our life hopefully a lot easier” he said. He went on to commend the decision by the Standing Committee to commit to the continuation of the appointment of the Child Protection Officer.

Dermot O’Callaghan (Down) expressed concern about “cultural influences” that could by-pass Safeguarding Trust. Quoting from various explicit publications produced by gay groups in the United States, he said, “this is stuff that is being aimed at children.” The Revd Grace Clunie (Armagh) said she was appalled at what she’d heard and said it was an affront to many of her friends who are gay and lesbian. In a contribution commended by the Revd Canon John McKegney, Martin Montgomary (Dromore) expressed concern at over-emphasis on academic education. He urged “inclusive” education as a “Gospel message.”
 
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