The union representing university lecturers, the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) is to discuss a motion to remove compulsory religious courses on teacher education programmes at their annual delegate conference in Dublin this weekend.

The motion calls for the abolition of compulsory religious courses for trainee primary school teachers to be replaced with a common ethics course alongside optional denominational religious modules.

Currently, all of the teacher training colleges in Ireland are denominational.

At present, it is a requirement for all of those training to become primary school teachers to study denomination-specific religious education modules. All primary school teachers must teach religion as part of their duties.

A recent INTO survey however, found that 67 per cent of primary school teachers taught religion willingly, while only 24 per cent were uncomfortable teaching it.

The poll, which surveyed 348 teachers in every county, also found that only 34 per cent favoured the State taking control of all primary schools, while a further 47 per cent said the Catholic Church should relinquish control over some of its schools, a position in line with that of the hierarchy.