Education Minister to repeal 50-year-old religious regulation

Education Minister Jan O'Sullivan is to repeal a 50-year-old regulation which gives religion in primary schools a privileged status.

According to 'Rule 68', religious instruction is "a fundamental part" of schooling and "a religious spirit should inform and vivify the whole work of the school".

It has long been considered a major obstacle to enabling Irish primary schools to cater properly for children of all religions and none.

Jan O'Sullivan has said she will abolish the rule in January with immediate effect: “It doesn’t require legislation, I can do it as Minister, Mrs O'Sullivan said.

“It’s a rule that has been there for many decades now, it isn’t hugely applied in schools now but, nevertheless I think it is symbolic, I think it does need to be abolished and I can do it as Minister without bringing in legislation and I intend to do it in January.”