waning Catholicism in Ireland

The Roman Catholic Church is losing its unchallenged footing in Ireland, but for the moment, its control of primary education remains intact. The most Catholic country in the world is setting aside its reliance on the Vatican. The priest-abuse scandals no doubt fed the flames, but I wouldn't be surprised if just plain education (a la the Internet, for example) weren't more causative of the decline.

“The church is no longer in the ascendant. And once we get a system of education that isn’t dependent on religious patronage, its influence will wane further. There is political momentum on this, and the policy makers cannot ignore it any longer.”