Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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861. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the number of schools that require students to take religion as a mandatory Junior Certificate subject, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19265/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under the Education Act 1998, the School Board of Management (BOM) appointed by the School’s Patron, is the body charged with the direct governance of a School and the School Principal manages the School on a day-to-day basis. Each School has the autonomy to design their own timetables and decide which subjects and programmes the school will offer based on the educational needs and interests of their students as well as factors such as teacher supply, teacher subject qualification, class size, student population and logistical considerations.

My Department does not collect data on whether a school has made Religion mandatory for their school. Currently , for the 2024-2025 school year based on data returned from schools on the Post Primary Online Database (PPOD) 117 Schools offer the examinable Syllabus for Religious Education, 639 schools offer the non-examinable Religious Education and 237 schools offer the LCA Religious Education Module. By way of information, attached is a list of schools, by county, which offer Religious Education.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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862. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the number of schools that require students to take religion as a mandatory Leaving Certificate subject, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19267/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under the Education Act 1998, the School Board of Management (BOM) appointed by the School’s Patron, is the body charged with the direct governance of a School and the School Principal manages the School on a day-to-day basis. Each School has the autonomy to design their own timetables and decide which subjects and programmes the school will offer based on the educational needs and interests of their students as well as factors such as teacher supply, teacher subject qualification, class size, student population and logistical considerations.

My Department does not collect data on whether a school has made Religion mandatory for their school. Currently , for the 2024-2025 school year based on data returned from schools on the Post Primary Online Database (PPOD) 117 Schools offer the examinable Syllabus for Religious Education, 639 schools offer the non-examinable Religious Education and 237 schools offer the LCA Religious Education Module. By way of information, attached is a list of schools, by county, which offer Religious Education.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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863. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding any guidance issued by her Department to all schools regarding how to approach situations whereby children wish to opt out of religious education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19270/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under the Constitution, the provisions of article 44 recognise the rights of children to attend school without attending religious instruction at that school. Furthermore the provisions of Section 30(2) (e) of the Education Act 1998 provide that a school shall not require a student to attend instruction in any subject which is contrary to the conscience of the parent / guardian of the student or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student. It is expected that this right will be upheld by schools on foot of a parental request.

The provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 requires, where schools provide religious instruction, they must clearly set out in their admission policies the school’s arrangements for students, where the parent or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, has requested that the student attend the school without attending religious instruction in the school.

The manner in which any school ensures that the right to not attend religion instruction classes is upheld, is a matter for the school concerned. Each individual school must determine the particular arrangements which are most appropriate in its individual circumstances having regard to local issues such as available space, supervision requirements and how the school concerned organises classes etc.