Sir, – The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment's initiative to introduce "religion, beliefs and ethics" into the primary school curriculum can only be welcomed as long overdue ("Primary schools to have to teach religion under new curriculum", November 3rd).
It is ironic, however, that Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan can endorse this proposal while she appears powerless to affect the most basic change to school admissions policies that would allow equality of access to all of our publicly funded denominational schools to the many families who find it impossible to secure a place because their beliefs are different and alternative multidenominational options are limited.
At the very least, the Minister could seek a voluntary change of admissions practices that would prevent any school from asking the religious denomination of applicant families. – Yours, etc,
JIM DEVINE,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.