The Labour Party is showing "anti-Catholic bigotry" in its handling of access to primary schools, according to Senator Ronan Mullen.

Senator Mullen says that the potential new policy is driven by a small percentage of people who "cannot bear the idea of Catholic schools teaching Catholic values".

Legislation is being considered to free up places in primary schools for children who have not been baptised.

Labour Party happy to deprive Catholic children of access to local Catholic school. They call it 'equality'. Actually, it's bigotry. — Senator Rónán Mullen (@RonanMullen) December 28, 2015

However, Senator Mullen says the plan shows a bigotry from the Labour Party.

@RonanMullen Ronan I think you should apologise. Despicable insinuations in that post. — Cllr Dermot Lacey (@LaceyDermot) December 28, 2015

He said: "It has very little to do with childrens' best interests or the quality of education. I think what's going on here is a kind of a niche political branding by the Labour Party policy drivers.

As a Senator you had better substatiate that remark with data or retract it. https://t.co/OcMItIKyCl — Patrick Denny (@draziraphale) December 28, 2015

"I am very sorry to have to say this but there is a thinly disguised anti-Catholic bigotry in evidence from Labour Party policy."