The head of the Catholic Education Partnership (CEP) has welcomed the dropping of plans for a ‘neutral’ ethics programme at primary level to be taught in religion class.

It will instead be taught under history and geography.

This should avoid confusion with teaching what is right and wrong, true and false, in catechism, according to the head of the CEP, Alan Hynes.

“We have long argued this is based on a falsehood,” Mr Hynes told The Irish Catholic. “We are happy that the State has listened to us and this has been withdrawn.”

While formal Religious Education (RE) will drop from two and a half to two hours a week, Mr Hynes said the topic of world religions will now be dealt with under history and geography, rather than RE.

In addition, the hours allotted to well-being is “suited well” to a Catholic setting, with Catholic schools treating the well-being of the whole person for decades, said Mr Hynes.

The draft propose small changes around sex education, including teaching about puberty to third and fourth class. Mr Hynes said this reflects the fact that children are coming to primary school later and therefore are older when they reach these classes.