Aideen Hayden (Labour)

My question pertains to the constitutional right to opt out of religious education. The historical section of the document before us is very informative in this regard. Contrary to the popular understanding, much of what we are discussing today emanates from the late 1960s and early 1970s, particularly - dare I say - during the leadership of one John Charles McQuaid. Prior to 1966 schools were required to be careful when in the presence of children with differing religious beliefs to avoid touching on matters of controversy. Much of what we are now attempting to do is aimed at restoring what was lost in the ether during a certain period of our history.