1923

In the early days of the state there is very deep suspicion and fear and in such a climate the Act is greeted with hostility. The act envisages all primary schools being under the control of the state. In order to achieve this goal it is recommended that there will be three classes of school: Controlled, Maintained and Voluntary. This basically means that the more control the government has over a school the more funding will be available for that school. While the government will continue to pay teachers' salaries and meet basic heating cost, the voluntary schools lose virtually all other funding. As this affects Catholic schools most, there are claims of discrimination. The government takes the view, however, that the choice ultimately rests with all schools to either opt out or not.

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