Our press release issued this morning to coincide with the TCD SU hosted husting event in TCD at lunchtime refers to the Stanley Letter of 1831.
You can read a transcript of the original letter on the Department of Education & Skills web-site here: http://ow.ly/YgIEp
Here is one of the key precepts:
“They will require that the schools be kept open for a certain number of hours, on four or five days of the week, at the discretion of the Commissioners, for moral and literary education only; and that the remaining one or two days in the week be set apart for giving, separately; such religious education to the children as may be approved by the clergy of their respective persuasions.
They will also permit and encourage the clergy to give religious instruction to the children of their respective persuasions, either before or after the ordinary school hours, on the other days of the week”.
Article 44.2.4 of our constitution and the present Rules for National Schools #54 and 69 are supposed to give effect to this.