Churches urged to confirm attitude to mixed-religion schools

A report into the circumstances surrounding the sacking of the principal of a Co Meath gaelscoil earlier this year has recommended that the main churches spell out their attitude to religious education in interdenominational schools.

During the summer, Tomas O’Dulaing was sacked from his job at Gaelscoil Thulach na nOg in Dunboyne after he refused to prepare Catholic children for Holy Communion during school hours.

Mr O’Dulaing said he made his decision because Protestant children would have to leave the classroom during this time, something he considered discriminatory and unfair.

A facilitator’s report on the matter has now issued a number of recommendations about how similar conflicts can be avoided in the future.

It said steps should be taken immediately to ascertain the commitment of the churches to the ideal and implementation of an interdenominational ethos in mixed-religion schools.

It also recommends that the schools’ patron body, An Foras Patrunachta, should hold a convention to devise a model for teaching religious education, adding that local agreement is also needed on a relevant religious curriculum in the schools.