FROM TODAY, Irish secondary school students will be offered a different subject if they don’t want to study religion.

The new regulations from the Department of Education will also allow students to opt out of religious ceremonies such as masses held during school time.

State schools will be instructed to offer alternative subject choices to all students who do not wish to study the subject.

The new regulations will affect around 160,000 secondary school students, which amounts to almost half the entire secondary school population.

Previously, students who did not want to study religion in these schools were frequently required to remain physically in the classroom while the religious lesson was in progress.

A statement sent to State-run schools today by the Department of Education acknowledges that the past practice of assuming that pupils are predominantly Catholic and arranging religious instruction accordingly is no longer appropriate.


It says a school must establish the wishes of parents – or students in the case of those over 18 – as part of its overall process of establishing subject choices.

The new criteria are reflective of an increasingly secular society in Ireland.

Speaking on RTE’s Today with Sean O’ Rourke, Minister for Education Richard Bruton said: “It is important that Education and Training Board and Community Post Primary schools as multi-denominational schools, fully implement this circular as it presents an important opportunity to meet the expectations of parents and students in a changing society.

“This can only be achieved by consulting with parents, and including their wishes as part of the normal planning process of any school.”

The new regulations are effective immediately, however, the Department of Education acknowledges that schools may need to wait until the next school year in order to introduce revised timetables.