The controversial baptism barrier is to be removed from many schools, meaning religion will no longer be used as part of an admissions policy in cases where a school is oversubscribed.

Minister for Education Richard Bruton explained: "Up to now, where a school was oversubscribed they could use religion to discriminate. We're now changing that where religion will not be used in any Catholic school."

"Schools will continue to have an ethos, and parents who want their children brought up in that ethos will have access to those schools in normal ways, but with no priority access."

The Minister says the vast majority of schools are not oversubscribed and therefore don't have any religious barrier, "but what we're doing is introducing rules and trying to make this fairer across the board."

Labour Party spokesman on education Aodhán Ó Ríordáin says he "absolutely supports" the removal of the baptism barrier, but does not agree with a section of the Admission to Schools Act which states that children whose parents or grandparents attended the school will be given priority.

"My problem is that children will not be treated the same."

"This puts children whose parents or grandparents who have attended the school at an advantage. It's patently unfair and absolutely elitist."

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