Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland and Muslim religious leaders are joining together to oppose teachers' demands for a more diverse religious curriculum, writes Kathryn Holmquist, Education Correspondent.
They are reacting to the INTO's call for a rewriting of religious education to eliminate the teaching of any particular belief system as "truth".
Muslims are also demanding that if, however, a new curriculum is introduced that it include teaching on Islam.
As thousands of eight-year-olds take their First Holy Communion over the next few weeks, primary teachers are also calling for all sacramental preparation to take place outside of school.
However, Father Dan O'Connor, general secretary of the Catholic Primary School Managers' Association, has stated that under the Education Act 1998, the wording of which was agreed by the INTO, the teaching of religion is a matter for the patron body of a school.
The patron body has the right to "provide the moral and spiritual development of the pupil" in accordance with its own doctrine, whatever that may be.
Church of Ireland and Muslim leaders also cite the Act as their defence against what one Church of Ireland spokesman called a "watering down" of religious teaching. The primary school curriculum, according to the spokesman, "acknowledges the right of parents to arrange for their children's education in a school whose religious ethos coincides with their own religious belief." And "that it is the responsibility of the school to provide a religious education that is consonant with its ethos".
The protection of individual ethos is provided under the Act's Deed of Variation, which was agreed after exhaustive consultations with all religious bodies and teachers' unions in an education forum presided over by former Education minister, Ms Niamh Bhreathnach.
Father O'Connor says parents' right to educate their children in religious schools is also protected by the Human Rights Declaration of the United Nations and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights.
Canon John McCullagh of the Church of Ireland Board of Education, who has discussed the matter with Father O'Connor, reiterates that under the Education Act, the teaching of religion is a matter for the patron bodies, usually Christian churches, to decide.
The Church of Ireland has been introducing a new curriculum in its schools, the "Follow Me" series, which is largely based on the Roman Catholic curriculum, "Alive O", but with key elements of doctrine changed.
Muslim leaders want the right to teach their own religious beliefs in their schools and have discussed the issue with Father O'Connor and Canon McCullagh.
"Primary school is too early to introduce children to different faiths.
"They are too young to decide for themselves," says Ali Selim, who is involved in education at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland in Clonskeagh.
The fastest growing religion in the State with at least 15,000 members, Islam is already taught in one national school in Clonskeagh, which has 240 pupils.
Under rule 69 of the Education Act 1972, parents who do not wish their children to attend religious instruction have the right to withdraw their children from the class during such instruction. Parents also have the right to provide their own style of religious education "elsewhere".