Labour Leader Ivana Bacik has said it is the policy of her party to “strip faith formation from the school curriculum” while “allowing broad consideration of all religion.”
Ms Bacik was speaking at a pre-election gathering of the Labour Party TDs, senators and general election candidates.
The remarks echo those of former Labour Education spokesperson who was strongly criticised for using the phrase “get them out” in reference to Catholic and religious education providers during the Labour Party’s 2021 Conference.
As Gript reported at the time the Dublin Bay North TD told Labour delegates that religious patronage in schools needed to be ended, adding: “If that requires a referendum, we should do it and we should win it.” RTE’s Paul Cunningham reported that the remarks generated “loud applause from the floor, he said: ‘Let’s get them out.”
At #LP21 - @labour TD @AodhanORiordain has said the practice of religious patronage of schools needs to be ended, adding: "If that requires a referendum, we should do it and we should win it." To loud applause from the floor, he said: "Let's get them out." @rtenews
— Paul Cunningham (@RTENewsPaulC) November 13, 2021
Responding at the time, former editor of the Irish Catholic Michael Kelly wrote, “I never thought I’d live to see ‘get Catholics out’ become a political slogan in the Republic.
I never thought I’d live to see ‘get Catholics out’ become a political slogan in the Republic. https://t.co/EUOlldoLtX
— Michael Kelly ن (@MichaelPTKelly) November 13, 2021
Irish Independent columnist and Director of the Iona Institute has reacted to Ms Bacik’s remarks by asking:
“As usual the question is, what do parents want? If they want faith formation taken out of schools, then so be it, but if they don’t then Ivana Bacik and co have no right to enforce that.”
As usual the question is, what do parents want? If they want faith formation taken out of schools, then so be it, but if they don't then Ivana Bacik and co have no right to enforce that. https://t.co/o76Sjy2njB
— David Quinn (@DavQuinn) September 5, 2024