The time set aside for the teaching of religion in Irish schools may become ‘discretionary’ under new proposals to be published next month. The proposals, contained in a National Council for Curriculum and Assessment report on primary school education look set to recommend that a planned religion, beliefs and ethics class be incorporated into the wider core curriculum as opposed to becoming a separate class. Thus areas of religion could, for example, be covered in a geography class. The resultant overlap with areas such as faith formation means that a school could have the flexibility to decide how much time to devote to this. While the Education Act (1998) protects the right of schools to set aside reasonable time in each school day for subjects relating to the school’s ethos, it does not specify how much time should be set aside for this subject, allowing for flexibility on the part of schools.

Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has criticised organisations which seek to remove references to Christianity or discipline Christians arising from cases of deeply held beliefs. In a new report, the EHRC criticises UK cinemas for banning a Church of England prayer advert and laments the decision by British Airways for suspending a staff member who refused to remove a cross she wears. One section of the report states: “There is no right in Britain not to be offended and, in our view, respect for people’s right to express beliefs with which others might disagree, is the mark of a democratic society.” Chief of the EHRC, David Isaac, also hit out at public bodies which relabel their Christmas celebrations with secular terms such as ‘Winterval’, for fear of giving offence.

Catholic bishops and other religious educators have stated that the Government’s draft proposal to teach world faiths in schools is “unworkable”. In responses offered to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s (NCCA) invitation for submissions on the world religions proposal, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan of Waterford and Lismore said, “In its current form, [the curriculum] would be impossible to implement in Catholic schools under my patronage.” Bishop Denis Nulty, meanwhile, said the curriculum represents a threat to Catholic school ethos. In separate submissions, both the Catholic Primary School Management Association and the Association of Trustees of Catholic Schools echoed the bishops’ concerns, describing the curriculum as flawed and potentially unconstitutional. “We cannot recommend to the parents of children in our schools that they would support this planned programme and as representatives of the trustees of the said schools we have no choice but to reasonably object to same,” the Association said.

British former MP Ann Widdecombe has warned that Christians there face increased persecution. Commenting in the wake of the Ashers Bakery ruling, which she described as “something of a nonsense”, Ms Widdecombe pointed out that, historically, being forced to affirm beliefs contrary to conscience is “rightly recognised as the hallmark of totalitarianism itself” and said that the Ashers outcome had been a failure to uphold freedom of conscience. She added that gay rights legislation, and a refusal to allow dissent from it, has led to the closure of adoption agencies, and obstacles being put in the way of Christians becoming B&B owners, adoptive or foster parents, and even bakers. Ms Widdecombe went on to call on people of faith to not “sleepwalk through this” at the risk of seeing more of their liberties removed.

The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, has said a new schools admissions Bill may result in children suffering “discrimination” on the basis of their religion. In a report on complaints brought before his office, Dr Muldoon points out that Ireland has obligations on “children’s rights and dignity” under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. He added: “Specifically, the right of all children not to be discriminated against on any grounds and to have their best interests treated as a primary consideration in all actions concerning them, including the actions of legislative bodies and administrative authorities.” Minister for Education Richard Bruton has already signalled that the issue of the so-called ‘baptism barrier’ to education throws up “complex issues” which will be debated separately to the new admissions Bill.

The number of annual abortions in the United States is at its lowest level since before the 1973 Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision, new figures reveal. In a report to the year 2013, the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that 47 states have experienced a 20% drop in terminations since 2004 (the CDC data is limited to 47 states as the federal government does not require states to report abortions figures). Figures recorded for 2013 show that 664,435 abortions took place, equating to 12.5 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44. Observers point out that the last time a lower rate of abortions was recorded was in 1971, when some states, but not all, had legislated for abortion. A combination of a growing number of pro-life laws on a state by state basis together with advances in technology – allowing for a much clearer picture of an infant’s development in the womb – are being credited with driving down the abortion rate.

The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) has called for a greater recognition of Sunday as a day of rest. In a document restating its support for the European Pillar of Social Rights, a document on essential principles around labour, education and other social issues in the EU, COMECE said: “As in times of digitalisation of the economy, the boundaries between private and work-life become increasingly blurred, COMECE proposes to incorporate decent working hours and the right to a common weekly day of rest,” the bishops’ commission stated. “This day should be in principal the Sunday, which is recognised by tradition and custom in most of the member states or regions.”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New has urged Catholics to oppose assisted suicide with “renewed vigour” in light of the advance of legalisation allowing the procedure in a growing number of US states. As Washington DC became the latest region to vote for the introduction of assisted suicide, joining the states of Oregon, Montana, Washington, Vermont, California, and Colorado, the prelate, who is chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said: “The act of prescribing a fatal, poisonous dose …undermines the very heart of medicine. Doctors vow to do no harm, and yet assisted suicide is the ultimate abandonment of their patients.” He added: “What seriously ill – and often depressed – patients need is authentic support, including doctors fully committed to their welfare and pain management as they enter their final days. Patients need our assurance that they are not a burden – that it is a privilege to care for them as we ourselves hope to be cared for one day.”

Almost 70% of British people believe that businesses should be allowed to turn down orders that conflict with the business owner’s conscience. In a poll commissioned by the Coalition for Marriage and conducted by Com Res in the wake of the Ashers Bakery discrimination ruling, 69% of people responded that businesses should not face legal sanction for following their deeply held beliefs. The study involved 2,000 British adults who were presented with a range of differing scenarios. When asked if a Christian bakery should face court for refusing to offer a ‘support gay marriage’ cake, 65% of respondents said it should not, while 16% said it should. A similar result was gained when people were asked if a Muslim-owned printer should be punished for refusing to print cartoons of Mohammed, with 68% defending the right to decline such an order against 11% believing they should.