The census revealed a sharp drop in the proportion of the population who view themselves as Catholic. Between 2016 and 2022, it fell from 79% to 69%. There was also a 62% increase in the number who said they had no religion. We all know people who kind of go along with it and baptise their children to get them into a particular school or so they are not left out of communion; the figures are probably higher than what was in the census. Despite this, nearly 90% of primary schools remain Roman Catholic. People should not be forced to go to a school with an ethos in which they do not believe because of a shortage of multidenominational schools. However, this does happen because of the failure of the school divestment programme. Some 400 schools were supposed to become multidenominational by 2030 but, to date, only 14 have. Last year, just one school divested. The divestment programme, it is safe to say, is not working. The near-monopoly control of the Catholic Church in primary schools is like something from another era. It cannot be allowed to continue. Will the Government conduct a review of the divestment programme as a matter of urgency?

The census to which the Deputy refers reminds us all of the scale of change under way in our society and economy. From my experience of divestment programmes and procedures, I have seen the reason they do not happen or happen slowly is that the school community takes time to consider this process and does not always reach a view that a change in patronage is appropriate. We need a more diverse primary and secondary educational system to support the needs of children of families the Central Statistics Office, CSO, report indicates.

It is one of the many reasons I am delighted to have seen my local Educate Together school in Dublin 7 move into an amazing new building. This is a sign of the Government's support for that important ethos in our education system.