A former ministerial advisor says he expects school patronage to become a political issue ahead of the general election.
It's after the Archbishop of Dublin defended the rule prioritising baptised children in Catholic Schools in an article in the Irish Independent.
Diarmuid Martin was responding to claims by a mother at the weekend that her 4 year old son was denied a place in a number of schools in South Dublin because he's not baptised.
Dr. Martin also criticised the divestment process for being too slow.
John Walshe was a Special Advisor to former Education Minister Ruairi Quinn – he says it's not in anyone's interest for so many schools to remain under the control of the Catholic Church.