THE Teachers' Union of Ireland has expressed its concern at reports that legislation is being considered to give some schools the right to select teachers on grounds of religious belief.
At the union's annual congress in Cork yesterday, delegates passed an emergency motion reaffirming the union's belief in multi denominational education and rejecting any attempt to give churches "the power to dictate the religious beliefs of teachers".
Congress instructed the executive to do all in its power to defeat any proposal of this kind. This follows reports that draft legislation prepared by the Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, would allow denominational schools the right to insist that all teachers should adhere to their religion. The religion provision would apply to all church, but not vocational, schools.
In an impassioned speech, Mr Mick Sheridan of Dublin described the proposal as a "legal right to be sectarian". He said any effort to introduce a similar measure in any area of life in Northern Ireland would have been the subject of heavy criticism by Irish politicians.
"There would be an almighty scramble for the microphones and Mr Spring, Ms Breathnach and Mr Bruton would lecture Northerners about openness, tolerance, sensitivity and pluralism," said Mr Sheridan.
"We need Ms Breathnach to explain why they are about to give religious authorities a power they never, even at their most confident, imagined they would win by open debate the power to dictate the religious denomination of employees."
The TUI president, Mr Tony Deffely, said that if the reports were true it "will be a retrograde step in the light of the Government's commitment to policies based on the principles of pluralism, accountability and democratic control of our education system."
He said the Government should reconsider the introduction of legislation to underpin practices which have been condemned elsewhere.