Church role in health and schools

Sir, – Peter Boylan points to the emergence of a new church-State nexus based on an alignment of economic policy interests (“Catholic church role in health and schools can no longer be funded by State”, Opinion & Analysis, November 22nd).

Traditional blind deference towards the clergy is also alive and well in the public sector, however.

The Department of Education has failed to issue guidelines on school opt-out arrangements from religious instruction (a constitutional right) and has also failed to instruct schools to clearly set out those arrangements in their admissions policies (a statutory requirement).

In education as in healthcare, our rights and laws go into a state of suspended animation once management is left to the church. Governance of these essential public services is driven by the alignment of powerful vested interests rather than by the rights and needs of their service users.

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Education Equality has repeatedly called for the untangling of religious influence from Ireland’s publicly funded schools, with religious instruction instead offered on an optional basis outside the curriculum for those who choose it.

The Government has yet to even acknowledge our campaign, let alone engage with us.

And its continued failure to enforce even the most timid legislative initiatives in this area proves that, as Dr Boylan rightly says, church influence on this State remains far stronger than our politicians are willing to admit. – Yours, etc,

DAVID GRAHAM,

Communications Officer,

Education Equality,

Malahide,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – I wish to convey my strong support for the arguments expressed by Peter Boylan.

The recent revelations about the abusive nature of so many religious personnel would suggest that the very nature of the closed institutions to which they belong may have systematically nurtured brutish behaviour.

Surely it is time for our State to take back full control of all services (educational, medical) provided by religious organisations, particularly those that involve care of the young or vulnerable.

It should not take the revelation of repeated criminal behaviour for us to realise that the aspiration of equality and justice for all can only be achieved in a secular and pluralist society. – Yours, etc,

CAROL MacKEOGH,

Churchtown,

Dublin 14.