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What about Religious Education? Is it compulsory in a Catholic

school?

Religious Education is understood in CEIST schools, to be part of a broad
and balanced curriculum. This is similar to what pertains in most Irish

schools and indeed throughout Europe. It prepares students for life by
ensuring they know and understand not only their own faith but also the

faiths and traditions of others. It also gives invaluable space to students to
reflect on their own lives and on the meaning of their own lives. In this
way it is in line with and richly connected to the National Council for

Curriculum and Assessment’s Guidelines for Wellbeing (NCCA, 2017).

As with all subjects, the study of Religious Education in our schools is
guided in large part by the National Council for Curriculum and

Assessment. At Junior Cycle, this means the Junior Cycle Religious
Education Specification (NCCA, 2019). At Senior Cycle, it means students

study either Religious Education at examination or non-examination level.
(See NCCA.ie for more information at https://curriculumonline.ie/Senior
-cycle/LCA/Religious-Education/

Students enjoy Religious Education as a space that is a little bit different to

other subjects; we find in our schools that it provides a rich space for
dialogue, for learning and for personal growth. For this reason, we

encourage students to participate fully in this subject in our schools.
However, as stated in the Admissions Policies for all CEIST schools,

should any parent wish to withdraw their child or children from Religious
Education, a meeting with the principal to discuss this request can be

arranged. As stated previously we absolutely respect parents as the
primary educators of their children and so engage fully with requests from

parents to withdraw their children from RE.