Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the maintenance of religious beliefs as grounds for teachers and other workers in education to be refused employment or to be disciplined. [25806/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment that "People of non-faith or minority religious backgrounds and publicly identified LGBT people should not be deterred from training or taking up employment as teachers in the state."

A Private Members' Bill, the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013, was debated in Seanad Éireann in 2013. That Bill imposed a stricter test for discrimination on educational or medical institutions that are in receipt of public funding. The Government accepted the Bill in principle. The Bill is currently at Committee stage in the Seanad.

Prior to framing amendments to the Bill, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission designate was asked to undertake a public consultation and examine the issues involved in relation to amending Section 37 of the Employment Equality Acts 1998 - 2011. Its report was referred to the Attorney General's Office for further consideration.

Work is now progressing on draft amendments to this Bill which were approved by Cabinet earlier today, and will be debated in Seanad Éireann tomorrow.