Religious education is a ‘historical hangover’ that should be removed from Ireland’s State-funded schools, according to Education Equality.

The parent-led campaign group is warning that religion classes discriminate against non-religious and minority faith children – who are ‘moved to the back of the class’ during the lesson every day.

The group is calling for religious faith formation to be removed from the curriculum and instead offered to children on an opt-in basis outside school hours.

Education Equality spokesman David Graham told Newstalk Breakfast that all children have a long-standing constitution to attend their local taxpayer-funded school without any religious teachings.

“Currently, the way that that right is vindicated is that the children are simply moved to the back of the classroom, despite the fact that they have a right not to be there,” he said.

‘Changed society’

Mr Graham said the number of children in this position is increasing.

“Anecdotally, in some cases, that can be actually over half of the children in the class who are sent to the back of the class to twiddle their thumbs for half an hour each day,” he said.

“We feel that our society has changed beyond recognition in recent years.

Catholic boys and girls receive the sacrament of first holy communion.

Mr Graham said a national survey should be conducted, to assess the opinion of parents on having religious education in schools.

“The way the education system is structured, and the way that the status quo is defended is by pretending that this is a response to parental demand,” he said.

“Overwhelmingly, what we find is, the fact that 95% of our schools are controlled by religious parties isn't a response to parental demand.”

‘What do parents want?’

Mr Graham said religious ethos may not be the “primary concern” for parents enrolling their children in schools, but that does not mean parents are not concerned by it.

“As to [the] point that most parents aren't concerned about this – that's certainly not borne out by the number of parents who contact us on a regular basis,” he said.

“We’re not actually proposing that we need a root and branch reform of the patronage system itself.

“All we’re saying is that the religious instruction classes that currently take place … can be offered on an opt-in basis, after core school hours.

'Christian values'

Mr Graham said Christianity should not have a monopoly on human values such as love and kindness.

“I don't think it stands up to say that that offering religious instruction classes outside core school areas means that schools will suddenly be devoid of values,” he said.

“We're not really instilling those values in children in circumstances where up to half of the children in the classroom were actually moved to the back of the class each day.”

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