Patterns and paths towards privatisation in Ireland

Abstract

This paper discusses the various ways privatisation processes affect Irish education. Due to the long history of considerable church involvement, the notable absence of middle tiers of governance, and more recently, the embrace of neoliberal principles, in large part due to and for economic reasons, the Irish education system represents a fascinating example of a complex interplay between the public and private sectors. The conceptual and analytical tools provided by Cultural Political Economy are used in this paper to highlight why and how privatisation has unfolded and might yet unravel further in Irish education. These tools offer a useful lens through which to examine country-specific developments, whilst locating them in the global picture. Utilising the conceptualisations offered by Cultural Political Economy, this paper demonstrates how different forms of privatisation in Ireland have contributed to what can be described as a complex system of governance with strong private involvement.

Enacting school self-evaluation: the policy actors in Irish schools

“…The research aimed to involve the three main post-primary school models in Ireland: voluntary secondary schools; Education and Training Board (ETB) schools, some of which are known as community colleges; and community/ comprehensive schools. The voluntary secondary schools are denominational and although state aided are privately owned and managed, typically by the Catholic Church, while community schools operate under the joint trusteeship ofan ETB, a religious order and/or a bishop or another nominated person, and comprehensive schools operate under the trusteeship of religious denominations (Skerritt & Salokangas, 2020), usually the Catholic Church. While some ETB schools do also have a religious representative on their management board (Liddy et al, 2019), ETB schools are publicly managed and are therefore 'a distinctive segment of the Irish schooling system' (O'Flaherty et al, 2018, p. 318).…”

Student voice and classroom practice: how students are consulted in contexts without traditions of student voice

“…The schools in the ETB sector were previously known as vocational schools and are now referred to as ETB schools, or in some cases community colleges. Although state aided, the voluntary secondary schools are privately owned and managed, typically by the Catholic Church, while community schools and comprehensive schools are state schools, but the former operate under the joint trusteeship of religious denominations and ETBs and the latter operate under the sole trusteeship of religious denominations (Skerritt and Salokangas 2020), with the Catholic Church usually the denomination in both cases. While some schools in the ETB sector do have religious co-trustees (Liddy, O'Flaherty, and McCormack 2019), schools in this sector are publicly managed and are therefore 'a distinctive segment of the Irish schooling system' (O'Flaherty et al 2018, 318).…”

All in this together? The reconstitution of policy discourses on teacher collaboration as governance in post-crisis Europe

“…Historically, the Catholic Church has been the main private actor in public education (today approximately 90% of primary schools and 50% of post-primary schools are Catholic). However, this looks set to change as a result of the growing influence of neoliberalism on Irish education policy (Lynch and Moran, 2006; Mooney Simmie, 2012, 2014; Skerritt, 2019; Skerritt and Salokangas, 2020). Of particular note, and perhaps inspired by similar developments in England, are recent proposals for the decentralisation of decision-making powers to schools and their wider communities through greater school autonomy.…”

“…Of particular note, and perhaps inspired by similar developments in England, are recent proposals for the decentralisation of decision-making powers to schools and their wider communities through greater school autonomy. At a time of low public investment in education following the 2008 financial crisis, it is argued that this move might provide the foundations for increased privatisation and the entry of profit-making providers into the school sector (Skerritt, 2019; Skerritt and Salokangas, 2020).…”