Synod has given its backing to the four core principles of the Church of Ireland College of Education.

Proposed by the Archbishop of Dublin the motion stated: “That the house endorses the four core principals as promulgated by the Board of Governors of CICE namely:

• Safeguarding and enhancing the holistic educational experience of all students in CICE.
• Protection of the rights of CICE staff
• retention of CICE’s identity in terms of its ethos and culture including its relationship with and responsibility to the Church of Ireland network of primary schools throughout the State.
• Affirmation of and formal positive acknowledgement of and respect for the values, origins and traditions of CICE.

And asks that those negotiating on behalf of the college to ensure that these principles are included in any agreement reached with any educational grouping under the proposals of the Minister for Education and Skills for the restructuring of teacher training in the Republic.”

In proposing the motion, Archbishop Michael Jackson said: “The four core and equal principles which frame this Motion in themselves express the spirit of the Church of Ireland College of Education of today. They recognise its pivotal public role as a state college in which the values and aspirations of the Church of Ireland for society at large are afforded central place. They shape the learning environment for all who contribute to its life and educational input and output. 85% of our full–time staff are members of the majority community in the Republic of Ireland, as indeed are 75% of the students whom we admit to the courses in the College each year. This has long been the case and ought to be no surprise to any Member of General Synod.”

He said the excellence of what CICE is and does is well documented. Extensive meetings with contemporary stakeholders across the country by the Principal and chairperson have underwritten the urgency of making public the four core principles which had received

The Bishop of Cork supported the motion and commented on the last paragraph. “I think we need to acknowledge that the report of the International Review Panel and the Minister’s acceptance of that places the Governors of CICE in an impossible situation,” he said.

The Bishop added that he never thought he would see the day that fear would be based on the way the politicians and the Department of Education have used the Constitution. “I can’t believe that the changes that were brought about were justified by the constitution. I don’t believe that the framers of the constitution would have envisaged the disadvantaging of a minority community,” he said.