‘White Irish’ category on database questionnaire stirs controversy among parents

The Department of Education has admitted that the categories laid out in the questionnaire for its new online database of primary school children “may fall short of what could be expected in today’s multi-racial Ireland”.

Parents have complained that the only Irish category included on the questionnaire is "White Irish". This is in stark contrast to the census, which features four main headings: ‘White’, ‘Black or Black Irish’, ‘Asian or Asian Irish’ and ‘other, including mixed background’.

While INTO senior official Peter Mullan called for the questionnaire to be withdrawn, saying the department had “definitely made a mistake”, it is unlikely a new questionnaire will be issued this year.

The department has promised to change the categories in future surveys.