The Deed of Trust for Community Schools, Second Schedule Articles of Management, Section 11, states explicitly that R.E. must be taught and assigned a minimum of two hours (or three class periods) per week per class. Teachers are required by the Deed of Trust to ensure that religious instruction given to any student is in accordance with the rites, practice and teaching of the religious denomination to which the student belongs, and should deal sensitively with issues which may be controversial.

In appointing teachers of religion Boards of Management should follow the normal procedures for the appointment of all staff and in so doing ensure that a sufficient cohort of qualified staff is available to meet fully the religious educational needs of the school.

Teachers of religion to Roman Catholic pupils must satisfy local diocesan authorities that their own beliefs and religious practice are in conformity with diocesan expectations. If such a teacher ceases to have the approval of the diocesan authorities, then the teacher must be withdrawn from the teaching of religion and assigned to other teaching duties for which s/he is qualified. If, as a result, there is difficulty in providing for the teaching of R.E., the Board of Management may seek from the Department of Education and Science a curriculum concession to employ a teacher of religion beyond the entitlement accruing to the school under the prevailing pupil/teacher ratio.

If a school has enrolled a significant number of pupils of a minority religious persuasion a Board of Management has an obligation to provide, in so far as possible, appropriate religious instruction. In employing teachers for this purpose every effort should be made to ensure that they meet with the approval of the religious authority of the particular denomination to which their pupils belong.

While no particular requirement is set down for the employment of Religion Teachers in Comprehensive Schools, Boards of Management are advised to follow the practice as outlined above for Community Schools.