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School Curriculum

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 February 2014

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Questions (131)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

131. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify recent comments made by him at the Irish Primary Principals' Network conference suggesting that teachers could choose not to teach religion in primary schools; if he is therefore planning to make changes to time allocated to teaching religion in the curriculum in this regard; his plans to address teachers' concerns regarding curriculum overload; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9144/14]

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Written answers

At the IPPN conference on Friday 24th of January 2014 I was asked what subjects I would take time away from in order to devote more time to literacy and numeracy. In response, I expressed my personal opinion that if I were a teacher who needed to spend more time on literacy and numeracy, I would take the time from religion. I did not say that the teaching of religion should be stopped in schools, nor are there any plans to revise the time devoted to teaching of religion at present in primary schools.

In the context of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, I have asked the NCCA to consider the allocation of curricular time across the full spectrum of curricular areas and await their response.

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