Limerick bishop wants sacrament of confirmation at a later age

An idea has been floated to raise the age that children make their confirmation.

The Catholic Bishop of Limerick, Brendan Leahy, thinks that 12 is too young to receive the sacrament because children don't really know what's going on.

In what would be a massive shake up of religious education, he is suggesting students wait until they are 16 years old, so they can "opt in" to make their confirmation, as he thinks being Catholic should be a choice.

He also believes the learning could be based more in the parish, rather than at school.