Archbishop Diarmuid Martin told a conference on primary schools the church is prepared to surrender schools in areas where parents do not want a Catholic education for their children, The Irish Times reported.

The church operates the vast majority of Ireland's primary schools, although they are state supported. But the government plans to open some non-sectarian schools this year in a pilot program.

Martin said he also wants to avoid Catholic schools becoming "a ghetto or an illusory safe haven."

"The demand is there. The delay in provision of such alternative models has made true choice difficult for such parents and indeed for many teachers," he said. "It also makes it more difficult for Catholic schools to maintain their specific identity and bring their specific contribution to a pluralist society."