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Crowds turn out to support family of Dublin girl who failed to get place in local school

The case generated headlines when it came to light earlier this year.

Updated at 6.30pm

THE FAMILY OF a child who struggled to find a school place because of a controversial ‘Catholics first’ policy in some primary schools are holding a march on government buildings this evening.

Roopesh Panicker spent months trying to find a primary school place for his daughter Eva last year only to be told that there were no places available in eight schools near his home in Dublin.

When Roopesh, a Hindu originally from India and now an Irish citizen, asked why his daughter had been refused he was told that the schools were full and that she would be put on a waiting list.

However several schools later told him that they could not guarantee his child a spot for the following school year as she was not baptised.

The case generated headlines when it came to light earlier this year, and has been the subject of debate this week at the Web Summit.

“I couldn’t believe it when they told me that my daughter was not guaranteed a place because she isn’t Catholic,” Roopesh said.

“It is because of this admissions policy that my daughter is put in the bottom category, below any Catholic child.

“I have no problem with any religion and I even went to a Catholic school myself growing up but when it comes to a child’s education we should not discriminate.”

Roopesh contacted the Dublin Archdiocese and the Department of Education for advice on the matter. He said he received a phonecall from the Archbishop’s office advising that he baptise his child, leaving him furious.

“They asked how they could help, and when I explained my situation they suggested that I should baptise my daughter in order to secure a school place.

“I was shocked that they would say this, I couldn’t believe that they would suggest that my daughter change her religion.

“Neither I nor my wife slept that night – we were both in shock.”

A statement from the Dublin Archdiocese said “no school should advise parents to baptise their child to secure a place in that school ahead of another child”.

It added that the decision to put a child forward for baptism was a decision in faith which required “adequate Catechetical Preparation over time”.

A spokesperson added that they had no information of a phonecall of the type mentioned by Roopesh Panicker taking place.

March

Eva eventually got a place in a school around half an hour’s drive away.

The family called on supporters to take part in a march to Government Buildings on Dublin’s Merrion Street at 6pm today.

Photos posted online with the hashtag #walk4eva showed supporters gathering on Merrion Street, as Roopesh spoke to the media alongside his daughter.

“My goal is to keep pressure on the government,” he told us yesterday.

“I want to see a change in the Irish school system where being human comes before a child’s religion.”

Discrimination 

The vast majority of primary schools in Ireland are owned by religious denominations. The taxpayer, however, pays for the bulk of the building and running costs.

In an Ipsos MRBI poll for The Irish Times earlier this year, the majority of respondents agreed that children should have equal access to school places whether or not they had been baptised.

 Read: New religion curriculum to shake up classes at Catholic schools>

Read: Non religious parents are being discriminated against by our outdated school system>

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    Mute SCO Electrical
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:18 PM

    The Holy Gr-ale

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    Mute Phil O' Meara
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    Sep 25th 2015, 11:59 PM

    St.Out

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    Mute John Reese
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:34 PM

    Just watching some US coverage of his visit. Whatever your views on the church FOX are nothing short of a disgrace on their commentary and comments…mocking him etc. They’re parents probably voted against Kennedy because he was Catholic.

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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:40 PM

    My favourite quote was from Jeb Bush saying that the Pope shouldn’t comment on climate change because he’s not a scientist…… I’m pretty sure his family all world renowned scientists…. Not!!!

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    Mute John Reese
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:53 PM

    FOX must have said he hates capitalism three times in a minute. A priest they had on air said no he hates rich greedy people to which fox just cut him off.

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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:01 PM

    I really try not to watch FOX news.It actually hurts to listen to such blatant and deliberate ignorance and normally I’d be all for a bit of Pope bashing.

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    Mute Bridget O'Hanlon
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:31 PM

    Jamsey, I noticed that too. Jen Bush seems determined to put his foot in his own mouth.

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    Mute Ben Smith
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:41 PM

    Fox News and the Conservative party are now more backward than the Catholic Church. That takes some doing.

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    Mute For Connolly
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:49 PM

    Jamsey, here’s everything you need to know about the Bush brothers in 5 words…

    The smart ones called Jeb

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Sep 26th 2015, 1:04 PM

    You watch the Fox KKK Network…

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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:21 PM

    Be great craic having a few beers with the Pope belting out “the green fields of France”,apparently he can do the chorus of “back home in Derry” too.

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    Mute Jim Faulkner
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:34 PM

    If it’s as good as some of the other Belgian beers he’ll be on his knees before he knows it! :-)

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    Mute Pauliebhoy
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:18 PM

    He probably prefers Bishops Finger

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    Mute Marc Quinn
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:11 PM

    No but I fookin wil, 9%+ I’ll have suma daat !!

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    Mute gary power
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:24 PM

    the devils nectar. .

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    Mute Pronnsias McCarthaigh
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    Sep 25th 2015, 9:42 PM

    Percent means parts per 100

    9.75 parts per 100

    Reduce> 9+7+5+1+0+0 = 22

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    Mute Pronnsias McCarthaigh
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:05 PM

    2000 US Gallons = 7570.824 Liters

    Reduce > 7+5+7+0+8+2+4 = 33

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    Mute SCO Electrical
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    Sep 26th 2015, 8:31 AM

    Again with the numbers? What’s the craic with that Jack?

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    Mute Periguin
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    Sep 26th 2015, 12:12 PM

    Rainman.

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    Mute Beanstalk
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:23 PM

    This is great! I thought I was reading a story from The Onion!

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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Sep 25th 2015, 10:17 PM

    A good ride followed by a bottle of cold holy wooder. Sorted your holyness.

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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Sep 26th 2015, 1:31 AM

    Then he can do the magic trick of turning wine into blood… Yummy blood.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Sep 26th 2015, 1:06 PM

    Sheep shagging is illegal lol.

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    Mute Barty
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    Sep 26th 2015, 8:17 AM

    Love the call sign for the Pope’s plane on his American visit ” Shepherd 1 “

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