Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the parents in the Gallery who have been campaigning for change and justice on this issue. The current practice in respect of school admissions and the teaching of religion in schools is at odds with the views and aspirations of the majority of the population.

According to a poll conducted on behalf of Equate, a total of 87% agreed that the State should ensure children do not experience religious discrimination during the school day, while 84% agreed that reforms should be carried out to ensure no child is excluded from education on the basis of whether he or she is religious or non-religious, as the case may be.

Some 96% of primary schools are controlled by religious organisations and 90% are controlled by the Catholic Church. This means that those who are not Catholic face the greatest problems. Muslims, Hindus, those from other Christian denominations and those with no religion face serious difficulties accessing local schools. Children live beside and play with neighbouring children but because of the religion of their parents, they are separated when going to school. In all other aspects of life, Ireland has diversity in religion and cultural backgrounds. We see this in the workplace, sports clubs and communities but not in schools, which remain segregated according to the religious backgrounds of children's parents.

The experience and testimony of parents with children trying to get into schools is stark. The Education Equality organisation has supplied the Anti-Austerity Alliance and other parties with testimony from parents. I have before me several quotes and I will read three into the record. A woman said:

The experience has caused significant stress and anxiety for our family, for a prolonged duration of time. My husband and I have been under enormous pressure to baptise our son against or conscience in order to secure a school place for him.

The second quote is from another parent:

Our daughter is bottom of the list in our local schools, as they are religious ethos schools even though they are state funded ... Our friends have had their children baptised to 'jump the queue' even though they are not religious. We don't want to have to do this.

The final quote is from a man who says:

My daughter was born in Ireland. I was finding it impossible to get a school place for her ... I got a call from the office of Arch Bishop enquiring about the problem ... He offered me a solution: “To make your daughter’s admission easy and quick, why don't you baptise her?"... I was furious ...

He was right to be furious. Those words ring clear and true to me. They stand in some contrast to the weasel words we have heard in the House tonight from Deputies who say that they support the Bill, that they believe it is progressive and a step in the right direction but that they are not going to vote for it. That is simply not good enough.

The experience of these parents and others who have been in contact with the Anti-Austerity Alliance Deputies shows that their rights are not vindicated by the State. Their right to choose religion or not to have a religion is not respected. According to the Equate survey, one person in five is aware of someone who has had his or her child baptised to help the child to get access to the local school. The right of a parent not to have his or her child attend religious instruction is not a reality under the current arrangement. The right of children to education is not respected, as children must travel past their local school to go to another school. Furthermore, there are examples of children not getting access to school and having to postpone the start of primary education.

It is not only parents who are taking issue with religious discrimination in schools; the United Nations takes the same view. This year the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child called on the State to change the laws in respect of school admissions and how religion is integrated into the school day.

I am going to be caught for time. Do I get those extra minutes?

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