In this episode of If I were the Minister for Education, I unpack the Department of Education’s primary school survey and the headline claim that 40% of parents in denominational primary schools would prefer their school to be multidenominational. I admit I was wrong to assume parents would simply vote for the status quo, and I argue this figure is a remarkable tipping point, especially given how quickly some commentators tried to minimise it by claiming it represents only 16% overall. I question why only partial statistics were released, warn how narratives harden before full data emerges, and describe how “cultural Catholics”, church bodies and the state all benefit from a system driven as much by convenience and control as belief. If I were Minister, I’d publish all the data fast and remove patronage as the dividing line to build one inclusive system.

In this episode of If I Were the Minister for Education, I explore how behaviour support in Irish primary schools has shifted from corporal punishment to rewards and consequences, and now toward restorative practice, nurture spaces, and Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS). I’m joined by Dr. Ross Greene, founder of Lives in the Balance and author of The Explosive Child, Lost at School, and The Kids Who Aren’t OK, and by Ruth Edie, principal in Dublin 18 and a certified CPS trainer. We discuss CPS’s focus on solving the unsolved problems behind concerning behaviour through proactive, collaborative Plan B conversations, including the ASEP process and practical “drilling” strategies. We also compare CPS with restorative practice, address concerns about time and “letting kids off,” and share resources (livesinthebalance.org/ireland). I dedicate the episode to my late deputy principal Emer and HSE psychologist Toby.

00:00 Welcome and Overview

00:39 Behavior Shifts in Schools

01:59 Discovering CPS

03:10 Dedication and Intro

03:48 Meet Ross and Ruth

05:18 Ross Green Background

06:26 Ruth Eadie Journey

10:05 What Is CPS

13:14 ASEP and Unsolved Problems

15:06 Plan B Conversation

19:47 Drilling Strategies

21:09 When CPS Starts

22:49 Handling I Don’t Know

24:33 Ireland Context Setup

25:17 Piloting CPS in Ireland

25:50 Tribute to Toby and Emer

27:12 Restorative Practice vs CPS

29:16 What CPS Adds for Teachers

30:18 Finding Time for CPS

32:48 Common Pushback and Myths

35:56 Where to Learn CPS

38:05 Minister for a Day

41:48 Final Resources and Farewell

Deirdre O’Toole is one of Ireland’s best known educators. She started her well-known Instagram page in 2018 - the Playful Classroom, which explored early infant education - but had since become heavily involved in teaching and learning reading. She took it upon herself to bring the Right to Read conference to Ireland and this will take place next weekend, 21st March 2026. All 400 tickets sold out in under 90 minutes.

Deirdre and I have never met in real life (that’s going to happen at the INTO Congress this year) but we first came across each other over 20 years ago on the Education Posts Forum, where many teachers of our vintage got their first taste of online discussions.

You can find Dee on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook and keep an eye out for resources from the Right to Read Conference.