asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the concern expressed by a large number of parents at the closure of primary and secondary schools in the Dublin area on 23 September last, to enable teachers to attend religious ceremonies to mark the commencement of the academic year; her views on whether it would be more appropriate that these ceremonies should be held on a Saturday or school holiday, when parents, pupils and teachers could attend without any disruption to the school programme; the status of this day off school; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Religious Ceremonies for Academic Staff.
275.
I have seen no evidence of widespread concern about this matter. In the case of national schools, a board of management may, under the terms of Rule 59 of the Rules for National Schools, authorise the closure of a school where the board is satisfied that the circumstances warrant it, provided the school remains in operation for a minimum of 184 school days. School closures for religious ceremonies at the start of the school year may be authorised under Rule 59.
In the case of secondary schools, the position is that subject to my Department's regulations in regard to the minimum number of days on which schools are required to be in operation in the school year, the decision as to whether to close the school on any particular day is basically a matter for the management authorities of the individual schools.
As my Department does not recognise the day in question as a day on which those schools are in operation it would not be appropriate for me to make any comment on the question of when such ceremonies should be held.