Sir, – You report ("Minister looks at religion rule in schools", September 24th) that a Government advisory group recommended in 2012 that rule 68 regarding religious teaching in national schools should be deleted "as soon as possible". I read that Minister for Education Jan O'Sullivan, some two years later, has asked her officials "to consider how best to progress the particular recommendation relating to rule 68 in the context of the ongoing implementation of the forum report recommendations" – a dead cert for a "Yes Minister" gong, I'd wager! Could Ms O'Sullivan or Ruairí Quinn, her predecessor, not find that elusive "delete" key? – Yours, etc,
DENIS O’CONNOR,
Front Street East,
Toronto, Ontario.
Sir, – Regarding the role of religion in Irish schools, I am delighted to see that the Minister for Education is considering amending the archaic rule 68, which grants religion a primary role in Irish education. Even better would be to remove the rule entirely. In a pluralistic, democratic society, the law should protect all citizens from the “tyranny of the majority”. There is no justification for any one religion to dominate the public school system and permeate the entire curriculum, especially when so few options are available to parents of different religions or no religion.
If parents want their child to receive instruction in their particular religion, this can be carried out at home or in Sunday schools or other forums outside of the public education system, as in other countries. This simple solution does not discriminate against anyone or infringe on anyone’s rights to religious belief – on the contrary, it offers protection to all religions, and to non-believers, by not promoting any one. Public schools should be places of education, not indoctrination. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN MITCHELL,
Elner Court,
Portmarnock, Co Dublin.