Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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129. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the basis upon which she is satisfied that there is no religious discrimination in the admissions policy of national schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8737/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Schools are not permitted to discriminate against an applicant for admission on any of the nine grounds set out in the Equal Status Act.

However, the equality legislation makes provision for exemptions to apply in the case of single sex schools and in the case of schools where the objective is to provide education in an environment that promotes certain religious values.

The legislation provides that any primary or post primary school that has this objective may admit a student of a particular religious denomination in preference to other students. The legislation also provides that such a school can also refuse to admit a student who is not of that religion but only where the school proves that this refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

Schools that comply with the requirements of the equality legislation do not therefore discriminate on religious grounds.