Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with what the Minister of State has said with regard to the challenge. It is banishing two important aspects of human rights, one is the right of non-discrimination against people who are in employment. I also welcome the approach that she has embarked on, that of a consultation process, because there are constitutional issues involved. It should be thought out and done in such a way that takes account of those viewpoints and what we are about, particularly in the educational field. It is about the education of our children and it is important that we get that right and do not inject ideological issues into that for the sake of meeting certain ideological points.

For absolute avoidance of doubt, I fully support a situation where there is non-discrimination against people, particularly single parents or people who are gay, in employment, in teaching, in hospitals or wherever else. That is an important principle that should be underpinned in legislation.

I know many gay teachers and many single parents who are currently working in our denominational schools, so it is happening in practice. I fully accept that does not mean the law should not be clear in this regard. What is at issue, however, and this is where the balance needs to come in, is that teachers' lifestyles can be a factor in all of this.

Parents have a right to expect that teachers in their schools are not themselves proposing a lifestyle that runs contrary to the ethos of the school or contrary to parents' beliefs. The teachers' job is not to promote their own personal views on this matter. I have come across instances where unfortunately the particular lifestyle - it could be addiction or other things - leads to a serious effect on the education of children. One cannot have a system where people are protected purely because they meet some of these criteria where it can be used against them.