Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

While I welcome the Minister's response, choice is not an alternative to equality. Children have a clear right to be educated and people have a right to freedom of religion. An increase in the number of multidenominational schools would be welcome, as would clarity on admission policies, but if choice is available only at the point at which parents choose schools, the position will remain problematic. Parents and students must be able to opt in or out of religious instruction, irrespective of what school the child attends. The fundamental point is that a direction should be issued requiring schools to separate religious instruction from normal classes, as opposed to integrating it into the curriculum, and to provide it outside core hours. Parents could then opt to have their child participate in these classes as opposed to having a system from which parents must opt out, with all the complications such a system has, including the potential to isolate children from their peers.

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