Beyond religion and class: the challenge of educational planning in a new Ireland

It is unlikely that educational policies will be a significant priority in the political decision making around unification. Yet alongside other areas of public policy it should be an important element in the debate. Although there have been some divergences in education policy over the past 100 years the two systems remain relatively compatible and would not present any insurmountable obstacle in the event of Irish unity. Indeed, we have suggested that unification would offer a fresh opportunity for confronting the challenges of denominational education and social disadvantage in both jurisdictions. The essential challenge for educational planning in a new Ireland is to design an educational system which caters for the common good rather than the sectional interests of particular elements of the population whether it be religious denominations or privileged social classes – while recognising the need to protect minority identities. it is likely that higher education could be a significant beneficiary of unification. From a comparative perspective both systems are small, and lack of critical mass has inhibited development. A unified system would provide rich opportunities for enhanced collaboration, developing research clusters of excellence while avoiding unnecessary duplication of expensive resources. A unified system might also represent an overall more geographically balanced system drawing on the distinctive growth patterns of the two systems and better meeting both regional needs and economic imperatives.