About 90 per cent of primary schools in Ireland are Catholic in ethos. The figure is increasingly out of line with the religious makeup of the population.  

Last week, an Athlone primary school switched from Catholic to multi-denominational, the first such change of school ethos in a state-led pilot programme.

But in other areas, like Dublin's Raheny, local opposition to such changes in school ethos has been strong.

So when it comes to religion in schools, what is it that people really want?

Irish Times education editor Carl O’Brien gives the background.

David Graham of lobby group Education Equality and Seamus Mulconry of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association give their sides of a debate that is still divisive.

This episode is presented by Bernice Harrison.

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