{"id":178,"date":"2016-11-19T12:48:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-19T12:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.socialdemocrats.ie\/social-democrats-call-for-end-to-religious-discrimination-in-schools\/"},"modified":"2016-11-19T12:48:00","modified_gmt":"2016-11-19T12:48:00","slug":"social-democrats-call-for-end-to-religious-discrimination-in-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.socialdemocrats.ie\/ga\/social-democrats-call-for-end-to-religious-discrimination-in-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Democrats Call for End to Religious Discrimination in Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2013 Party outlines education policy priorities at inaugural national conference \u2013<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Social Democrats<\/span><\/a> have called for repeal of Section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act, the clause that means the majority of State-funded schools can refuse children from different faiths or non-religious backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the Party\u2019s inaugural national conference today (19.11.16), R\u00f3is\u00edn Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, called for an end to the \u2018baptism barrier\u2019 that allows State-funded schools to \u201cdiscriminate against children as young as four\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is time to finally end this outdated discrimination,\u201d she said. \u00a0\u201cOne of the most fundamental principles of a republic is that citizens are not discriminated against because of any faith they do or don\u2019t profess. \u00a0Yet, every year, religious affiliation is the very basis on which access is denied to a vital public service: education.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe law of the land, as it currently stands, is that State-funded schools are perfectly entitled to refuse entry to children as young as four because they are not signed up to a particular religious belief. \u00a0Even schools that accommodate children of different faiths, or no faith, continue to expose those children to a religious ethos to which they do not subscribe. \u00a0This is entirely unacceptable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Deputy Shortall said it was time for Ireland\u2019s education system to \u201creflect and respect the diversity of Irish society\u201d. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have long moved on from organised religion dominating the lives of a large proportion of people. \u00a0Laws and public services need to catch up. \u00a0It is a key priority of the Social Democrats to repeal Section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIncredibly, the Government\u2019s School Admissions Bill, currently going through the D\u00e1il, ignores the baptism barrier. \u00a0It is time to finally end this outdated discrimination and we will be tabling amendments to this Bill to that effect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Other Education Priorities<\/b><\/p>\n

In addition to ending religious discrimination in schools, the Social Democrats highlighted a range of education priorities at today\u2019s event. \u00a0These include: <\/span><\/p>\n