The patronage of schools

The evolution of the school patronage system in Ireland is different in the primary and post primary sectors. The patronage of primary (national) schools dates back to the foundation of the system in 1831 – although it was not until the Education Act of 1998 that the term was enshrined in legislation. The majority of national schools have both a patron and trustees (or a Trust) - usually two separate entities. Historically, post-primary schools were not set up under a patronage system. Most voluntary secondary schools were owned by religious orders or congregations or by diocesan trustees and are nowadays owned and controlled by trustees or a Trust, although some are owned by individuals or companies. In the Education and Training Board (ETB) sector, neither the words patron nor trustees were used prior to 1998, as these schools were owned and run by sub-committees of local authorities.