Sir, – Paddy Monahan raises important concerns about freedom of conscience in education, but his argument appears incomplete. While some parents wish to opt their children out of religious instruction, many others actively choose Catholic schools because they value their ethos. In theory parents support divestment but in practice they are not willing to give up their school to the process. The push for non-denominational schools is often framed as a neutral move toward secularism. Any serious commitment to pluralism must recognise there is more than one “elephant in the room”, and that all concerns about faith and ideological instruction deserve equal consideration.

Source: The Irish Times March 28, 2026 17:40 UTC