The Educate Together school was due to open in Carpenterstown in September 2008 and already has a waiting list of 260 children. According to parents, a long-standing agreement to open the school has been broken, while the go-ahead has been given for a pilot community national school under VEC patronage.

"We haven't been consulted," said Maggie Hyland, a parent and chairperson of Carpenterstown Educate Together.

One of the issues concerning parents is the fundamental difference in the ways in which Educate Together and the new community primary schools handle the teaching of religion.

Educate Together provides a broad education in world religions, but regards religious instruction as a matter for parents to be taken care of outside school hours. Community schools, on the other hand, will take an inter-denominational approach.

Educate Together claims that a binding agreement was reached with the Department of Education in 2000 to open a new Educate Together school in Carpenterstown. It is appealing the minister's decision not to recognise a new school under its patronage in the west Dublin location. (Source: Irish Independent)