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Two Roads Diverged: Policy Shifts in Second-Level Religious Education 1998–2020

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Education Policy in Ireland Since 1922

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Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to consider the evolution of policy developments and shifts in post-primary religious education in the Republic of Ireland. Drawing on the image of ‘two roads diverged’, the chapter proceeds to argue that the Education Act of 1998, which emerges as a watershed moment in the development of religious education in post-primary schools in Ireland, marks the beginning of a divergence in religious education policy between the State and the churches. The chapter traces the evolution of the State’s understanding of religious education as demonstrated through the background papers, frameworks, curricula and syllabi for religious education from 2000 to 2020, and the impact of Circulars 0013/2018 and 0062/2018. These documents have been selected because they are considered to be normative in the way that they have shaped the actual practice of religious education. From this practice, a policy direction for religious education provided by the State has begun to emerge.

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  1. Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

    Sandra Cullen

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  1. Sandra Cullen
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Correspondence to Sandra Cullen .

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  1. Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

    Brendan Walsh

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Cullen, S. (2022). Two Roads Diverged: Policy Shifts in Second-Level Religious Education 1998–2020. In: Walsh, B. (eds) Education Policy in Ireland Since 1922. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91775-3_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91775-3_5

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-91774-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-91775-3

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