Dáil debates
Wednesday, 2 December 2015
Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages
7:05 pm
Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source
It is quite ironic we have gone through the marriage equality referendum with all the structures put in place for it. I heard Deputy Eric Byrne say the LGBT community should not be discriminated against. They should not. However, a LGBT who is a Catholic in a Catholic school will be discriminated against. That is the problem and why it is important we vote on these particular amendments.
This is not against Catholic schools. Up to 96% of primary schools are under patronage, 90% of which are Catholic schools. This is a general point about school patronage and how children can be discriminated against, no matter what situation they are in. We should vote on this amendment. Rule 68 has to be removed. This rule, introduced in 1965, states that religious instruction is the most important part of the curriculum. Apart from that, a child will still face all the religious emblems and other issues in school. We should encourage secular schools as the taxpayer is paying for the system. The national school system was set up in 1831. The former Minister for Education, Niamh Breathnach, changed that when she brought in the choice system for schools.
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