Schools still free to discriminate on religious grounds, Quinn told [IrishTimes]
- Published: 29 April 2011
EQUALITY: MINISTER FOR Education Ruairí Quinn was yesterday criticised for failing to give a commitment to repeal a section of the Employment Equality Act which allows religious-run schools to look preferentially at prospective employees on religious grounds, without being found to have discriminated.
Mr Quinn had told delegates at the Teachers’ Union of Ireland annual congress he understood how gay and lesbian teachers might be concerned their sexuality could be held against them by managements of some schools because of the provisions of section 37(i) of the Employment Equality Act.
Mr Quinn said he believed the best approach to deal with the legislation was to seek to change attitudes. He said he was more than happy to have his department work with union officials and the relevant education partners to develop a code of practice to address the issue.
But yesterday, Dublin post primary schools delegate Feargha Ní Bhroin criticised Mr Quinn’s approach. She said introducing a code of practice was not sufficient to deal with the issue and the Government should instead repeal section 37(i) of the Act.
“This article of the legislation gives churches a derogation from the rest of the Act so that religious-run institutions are allowed discriminate in the recruitment, retention and promotion of staff in order to protect the particular religious ethos of the institution.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
