References to religion and education could be removed from the constitution under a Labour Party proposal.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, right, the Labour senator and education spokesman, has launched a petition calling on the government to hold a citizens’ assembly to consider a referendum to remove religious influence from schools.
Previous assemblies, where up to 99 members of the public considered policy issues, led to referendums on marriage equality and abortion rights.
Mr Ó Ríordáin said he would want a forum to consider articles 42 and 44 of the constitution, both of which refer to religion and education. Some have argued that references to parents having the right to educate their child through the ethos of their choice has given religious patron bodies too much control.