Quinn to tackle anti-gay discrimination

The law that allows schools fire or refuse to employ a teacher for being gay could become history under plans announced by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn.

He told the Teachers Union of Ireland congress in Wexford that he was fulfilling a Programme for Government commitment to remove discriminations against gay teachers in employment equality law, that can prevent them from teaching in religious-run schools.

The Employment Equality Act allows religious-run workplaces exemption from its anti-discrimination provisions in order to protect their ethos.