United Nations and Council of Europe concluding observations on Ireland.
This is a list of the Concluding Observations of the United Nations and Council of Europe on Ireland’s Human Rights Record. These observations mainly deal with education.
UN Human Rights Committee
“22.The Committee notes with concern that the vast majority of Ireland’s primary schools are privately run denominational schools that have adopted a religious integrated curriculum thus depriving many parents and children who so wish to have access to secular primary education. (arts. 2, 18, 24, 26).”
The State party should increase its efforts to ensure that non-denominational primary education is widely available in all regions of the State party, in view of the increasingly diverse and multi-ethnic composition of the population of the State party.”
(Article 2 Freedom from Discrimination, Article 18 Freedom of Conscience, Article 24 The Right of the Child, Article 26 Equality before the Law.)
Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee
The Human Rights Committee considered the third periodic report of Ireland (CCPR/C/IRL/3) at its 2551st and 2552nd meetings, held on 14 and 15 July 2008 (CCPR/C/SR. 2551 and 2552). At its 2563rd and 2564th meetings, held on 22 and 23 July 2008 (CCPR/C/SR.2563 and 2564), it adopted the following concluding observations.
21.The Committee continues to be concerned that judges are required to take a religious oath. (art. 18)
The State party should amend the constitutional provision requiring a religious oath from judges and to allow for a choice of a non-religious declaration.
22.The Committee notes with concern that the vast majority of Ireland’s primary schools are privately run denominational schools that have adopted a religious integrated curriculum thus depriving many parents and children who so wish to have access to secular primary education. (arts. 2, 18, 24, 26).”
The State party should increase its efforts to ensure that non-denominational primary education is widely available in all regions of the State party, in view of the increasingly diverse and multi-ethnic composition of the population of the State party.
(Article 2 Freedom from Discrimination, Article 18 Freedom of Conscience, Article 24 The Right of the Child, Article 26 Equality before the Law.)
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G08/433/49/PDF/G0843349.pdf?OpenElement
| Concluding Observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights :Ireland. 05/06/2002. E/C.12/1/Add.77. (Concluding Observations/Comments) |
Convention Abbreviation: CESCR: COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL
AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
Twenty-eighth session – 29 April-17 May 2002
Concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
16. The Committee regrets that the State party has not yet undertaken any measures with regard to the Committee’s 1999 recommendation concerning the inconsistency of article 40.1 of the Constitution on equality before the law with the principle of non-discrimination as set out in articles 2 and 3 of the Covenant.
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/%28Symbol%29/E.C.12.1.Add.77.En?Opendocument
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Seventy-eighth session – 14 February – 11 March 2011Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 9 of the convention.
Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of RacialDiscrimination – Ireland
1. The Committee considered the third and fourth periodic reports of Ireland, submittedin one document (CERD/C/IRL/3-4), at its 2063rd and 2064th meetings (CERD/C/SR.2063 and 2064), held on 22 and 23 February 2011. At its 2089th meeting (CERD/C/SR 2089), held on 9 March 2011, it adopted the following concluding observations.
26. The Committee recalls its previous concluding observations (CERD/C/IRL/CO/2) and notes with concern that the education system in the State party is still largely denominational and is mainly dominated by the Catholic Church. The Committee further notes that non-denominational or multi-denominational schools represent only a small percentage of the total and, regrets that, according to reports, there are not enough alternative schools, and students of the Catholic faith are favoured for enrolment intoCatholic schools against students of other faiths in case of shortage of places. The Committee further expresses its regret that the provisions of the Equal Status Act give the power to schools to refuse to admit students to denominational schools on grounds of religion if it is deemed necessary to protect the ethos of the school (articles 2, 5(d)(vii) and 5(e)(v))
Recognising the ‘intersectionality’ between racial and religious discrimination, the Committee reiterates its previous concluding observations (CERD/C/IRL/CO/2) and recommends that the State party accelerates its efforts to establish alternative non-denominational or multi-denominational schools and to amend the existing legislation that inhibits students from enrolling into a school because of their faith or belief. The Committee further recommends to the State party to encourage diversity and tolerance of other faiths and beliefs in the education system by monitoring incidents of discrimination on the basis of belief.
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G11/418/40/PDF/G1141840.pdf?OpenElement
UN International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination –CERD/C/IRL/CO/2 – Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination –
Sixty-sixth session 21 February – 11 March 2005 – Concluding observations.
“18. The Committee, noting that almost all primary schools are run by Catholic groups and that non-denominational or multi-denominational schools represent less than 1% of the total number of primary educational facilities, is concerned that existing laws and practice would favour Catholic pupils in the admission to Catholic schools in case of shortage of places, particularly in the light of the limited alternatives available. (article 5(d)(vii) and 5(e)(v))
The Committee, recognising the “intersectionality” of racial and religiousdiscrimination, encourages the State party to promote the establishment of nondenominational or multi-denominational schools and to amend the existing legislative framework so that no discrimination may take place as far as the admission of pupils (of all religions) in schools is concerned.”
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/%28Symbol%29/CERD.C.IRL.CO.2.En?Opendocument
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child – Forty-third session – CRC/C/IRL/CO/2
29th September 2006
“1. The Committee considered the second periodic report of Ireland (CRC/C/IRL/2)at its 1183rd and 1184th meetings (see CRC/C/SR1183 and 1184), held on 20 September 2006, and adopted at its 1199th meeting, held on 29 September 2006 the following concluding observations.”
“60. The Committee reiterates the concern raised by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD/C/IRL/CO/2) that non-denominational or multidenominational schools represent less than 1 per cent of the total number of primary education facilities.
61. The Committee encourages the State party to take fully into consideration the recommendations made by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD/C/IRL/CO/2, para. 18) which encourages the promotion of the establishment of non-denominational or multi-denominational schools and to amend the existing legislative framework to eliminate discrimination in school admissions.”
| Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities |
| Second Opinion on Ireland, adopted on 6 October 2006 |
| Strasbourg, 30 October 2006 |
| ACFC/OP/II(2006)007 |
Denominational schools
Present situation
98. The Advisory Committee has received detailed information from non-governmental sources on the way in which the limited number of non-denominational or multi-denominational schools in Ireland – where an overwhelming majority of schools are run by Catholic bodies – can complicate efforts to find a school that would adequately take into account the cultural or religious background of non-Catholic minority children. The Advisory Committee welcomes the fact that the Irish authorities are paying increasing attention to the issue and that there is a commitment to step up support for expanding the network of non-denominational or multi-denominational schools. This has already resulted in the establishment of a number of new multi-denominational primary schools in recent years, although progress in this respect still appears to lag behind growing demand.
99. The Advisory Committee stresses that, in addition to widening the non-denominational and multi-denominational school network, there is a legal obligation to ensure that, in denominational schools, there is a possibility to opt out of religious instruction. It is important that this possibility is offered and organised in a manner that does not unduly single out the pupils concerned. The Advisory Committee further recalls that the above issues are likely to only increase in importance as the religious and cultural diversity of the country expands further.
Recommendations
100. The Advisory Committee urges the authorities to pursue their commitment to widen schooling options, including in terms of non-denominational and multi-denominational schools, in a manner that ensures that the school system reflects the growing cultural and religious diversity of the country.
https://wcd.coe.int/wcd/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1061791&Site=COE
1 Comment
Not sure what you mean by questions, but here are some pionts that come to mind:1. By not educating children about sex, we leave them open for disease and pregnancy since they don’t understand the science behind their genitals and changing bodies in general.2. Many parents do not talk to their children about sex and their changing bodies, so children turn to friends, so the information they do get is not necessarily factual. Was this answer helpful?