Muslim Community Lobby Ireland is an independent organization established 1st May 2007. Its motto is TO USE THE VOTE RIGHTLY AND TO RAISE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AWARNESS WITH THEIR RIGHTS AND TO PROMOTE TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER EXISTING GROUPS. لترشيد استعمال الصوت الانتخابي ولتوعية وتعريف المسلمين بحقوقهم في ايرلندا وان يعيشوا بتفهم للواقع وللجماعات الاخرى الموجودة على الساحة

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Today's Press Release from Minister's O'Keefe and Lenihan بيان صحفي يشترك فيه الوزيران اوكييف وكونر لنهان عن الحجاب














The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD

The Minister for Integration Policy, Conor Lenihan TD

The Muslim Community Lobby Ireland thanks both Ministers for their kind attention and their clarifying statement and we hope it will be welcomed by the Muslim community as well as by the schools as a remedy to the Hijab scare. The following is a response to an earlier e amil sent by the MCL:

Thank you for your email,
Please see below, today's Press Release from Minister's O'Keeff and Lenihan.
For immediate release: 23 September, 2008 هذا البيان للنشر مباشرة
Ministers agree recommendations on school uniform policy The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeff TD, and the Minister for Integration Policy, Conor Lenihan TD,
today jointly agreed recommendations on school uniform policy. Minister O’Keeff said that ‘the recommendations were drawn up following an extensive consultation process by Minister Lenihan with schools, management bodies, parents’ associations and other key stakeholders’. Both Ministers thanked all parties for their contributions to this process. Minister Lenihan said that ‘the feedback received from all parties was reasoned and pragmatic’.
The recommendations were formulated on the basis of this feedback and take account of the legal position in Ireland.
اتفق الوزيران على انه بعد التشاور مع المدارس في البلد والاداراة المختصة ومن له معرفة بهذا الامر. وبعد دراسة وافية بتعقل لما وصل من بريد بالنسبة للحجاب في المدارس .
انه 1. تم الاتفاق على ان المدراس لها حق اتخاذ القرار في لبس الملابس المدرسية
وانه 2. لا يجب ان تكون اللبسة المدرسية حائلا لمن يريد ان يلتحق بالمدرسة من اي توجه ديني . ولا يعني هذا القرار بانه يمكن ان يلبس النقاب, او اي حائلا بين الوجه والمدرس لاخفاء الوجه, حيث ان هذا يخلق حائلا غير مقبول بين المدرس والتلميذة. اي انه نعم لغطاء الراس, لا للنقاب, او غطاء الوجه.
و 3. انه لمن الواجب من ان تستشير المدرسة حين وضع لائحة اللبس المدرسي من له الاتصال بالمجتمع المحيط بها .
و4. وانه وجب على المدارس بان تاخذ بعين الاعتبار اللائحة التعليمية الصادرة في
Education Act, 1998
والتي تنص على
15(2)(e)
وانه يجب على الادارة بان توازن بين " مبادئ ومطالب المجتمع الديمقراطي يجب ان يبعث على الاحترام ويحترم اختلاف القيم
والمعتقد والعادات واللغات وتعدد طرق الحياة في المجتمع."

Minister O’Keeff said that the recommendations, which will be formally conveyed to schools shortly, are:
1. The current system, whereby schools decide their uniform policy at a local level, is reasonable, works and should be maintained.
2. In this context, no school uniform policy should act in such a way that it, in effect, excludes students of a particular religious background from seeking enrolment or continuing their enrolment in a school. However, this statement does not recommend the wearing of clothing in the classroom which obscures a facial view and creates an artificial barrier between pupil and teacher. Such clothing hinders proper communication.
3. Schools, when drawing up uniform policy, should consult widely in the school community. 4. Schools should take note of the obligations placed on them by the Equal Status Acts before setting down a school uniform policy.
They should also be mindful of the Education Act, 1998. As previously mentioned, this obliges boards of management to take account of ‘the principles and requirements of a democratic society and have respect and promote respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society’.
Minister O’Keeff and Minister Lenihan acknowledged the practical approach taken by schools in dealing with school uniforms.
Minister O’Keeff said: ‘While 92pc of schools in the country are under the patronage of one religion, it is clear that this fact has not operated to exclude pupils of different religions from these schools or from schools operating under other patronage arrangements. ‘It seems clear that, where schools have permitted the wearing of the hijab in a colour similar to the school uniform, no problems have been encountered. ‘The important consideration here is that all parties involved are clearly aware of the position.’
ENDS
e mail sent to MCL By
The Minister for Integration Policy, Conor Lenihan TD