Religious education is for school patrons to decide, minister says

Religious instruction in Church-owned schools remains the business of school patrons, the Minister for Education has clarified.

Responding to a written request from Ruth Coppinger TD, Richard Bruton reiterated that denominational schools are currently required to allocate 30 minutes per day for religious instruction, but said that unlike other subject areas, the content of schools’ religious curricula is not set by the Department of Education.

“The Education Act recognises the rights of the different Church authorities to design curricula in religious education and to supervise their teaching and implementation,” Mr Bruton said, explaining that this means that it is up the patrons of schools to determine the content of their schools’ religious education programme.

Break time

The minister’s comments coincided with a call from Armagh’s Archbishop Eamon Martin for religion to be integral to the lives of Church-owned schools, rather than being “an added extra to be fitted in during break time or twilight hours or during registration”.

Speaking at The Irish Catholic Education Conference last Thursday, Dr Martin cautioned against relying on schools to be the key drivers in evangelisation in Ireland, but said those tasked with running schools should ensure that Religious Education is prioritised in the curriculum, with this having a strong catechetical element so children can systematically learn and understand the truths of the Catholic Faith.

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