Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 28:

In page 23, line 11, after “school” to insert “not aided by the Department of Education and Skills”.

I would like to start by welcoming the Minister's new amendments, which go some way towards addressing the issue of the baptism barrier. However, I am unhappy with the singling out of one religion, namely Catholicism, and the removal of a religious barrier only in the case of Catholic primary schools. The barrier will still exist for secondary schools and publicly-funded primary schools that cater for minority religions. Amendment No. 28, if accepted, would mean that only schools not aided by the Department of Education and Skills could refuse a child admission in order to maintain their religious ethos. This is far cleaner, clearer and simpler than what the Government's proposes, which would still allow a baptism barrier in secondary schools and would only remove the religious barrier in Catholic primary schools. All other religions can discriminate against children in the context of schools admissions.

The approach the Green Party is putting forward is that publicly-funded national schools must be for all children. If the baptism barrier is removed for one religion, it should be removed for all. The Green Party amendment states that not only privately-funded schools or schools which receive no State funding may discriminate on the basis of religion. Our amendments are simpler and dispassionate. The best way to cater for our children's right to education is to ensure that all schools are treated equally. All of the nation's children should have equal access to all of the nation's publicly-funded schools. The definition of a minority school is one that is focused on a religion whose membership comprises less than 10% of the population. It is also quite sustainable. Our society is changing rapidly. The 2016 census saw the smallest ever number of people recording themselves as Catholic. Judging by threats of excommunication of Catholics after 1.4 million people voted "Yes" to repealing the eighth amendment, who is to say that Catholicism will not be a minority religion in a few years, or indeed that all religions will not become minority religions? In the last census, 9.84% of the population registered as having no religion. As my colleague Deputy Catherine Martin has said in the Dáil, this legislation must be applicable to one and all, with no exceptions. That is the best way to ensure that our children's right to access education is at the heart of this legislation. We must acknowledge, embrace and cater to the changing society we live in by ensuring that all children are treated equally when it comes to education.