Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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282. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work undertaken to date by the programme officer charged with developing the new curriculum on education about religion and beliefs and ethics for primary schools following the Report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector; when a curriculum will be published; her plans to provide appropriate in-service and resources to facilitate the implementation of this new curriculum when published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30979/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Following the publication of the Report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector in 2012, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has commenced developing a curriculum for ERB and Ethics for all primary schools.

Development work by the NCCA is ongoing and contact has been initiated with the patron bodies responsible for religious and ethical education in primary schools. A consultation process on the development of an ERB and Ethics programme will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2014 and will continue into the first quarter of 2015.

It is planned that a draft curriculum for ERB and Ethics from Junior Infant to Second Class will be completed by the end of 2015. The development of an ERB and Ethics curriculum from Third to Sixth Class will continue with completion due by the end of 2016.

As the new curriculum is developed, the requirements for implementation supports, including continuing professional development of teachers, will be considered and reviewed.