Parents don’t want children to feel left out: Quinn

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn says many children still only take part in Catholic ceremonies as parents do not want them feeling left out.

While work has started on the handover of Catholic schools in towns where more choice can be provided, the views of parents will be sought next month on how to make faith-based primary schools more inclusive for children of different or no religions.

Mr Quinn told delegates from 19 countries at a University College Cork conference on religious education, that many people whose children are in a school — that they have no choice but to attend — want faith formation done in the parish instead of the classroom.