 The Department of Education issued out a circular to Education and Training Board state-run schools giving second-level students the opportunity to opt out of religion classes. We spoke to Dr. Gareth Byrne on St. Pat's campus to get his professional opinion on what the circular means. There always has been an opt-out and it's very important that students and their parents are able to decide whether they want to be there or not. So that's already covered. So it seems to me that there's some confusion in the circular letter. We've been training religion teachers for the last 20 years to help people of all faiths and of no particular faith, other world views, to participate in reseducation at second-level schools. DCU students who recently left secondary school give their views on the new circular. No, I don't think it's a good idea because personally I studied Islam when I was in junior school and I think that it broadens your horizons as you learn all about different religions and stuff. Balance, I think it's a good thing because personally I just feel that the kind of influence that religion in the church has had on education and the healthcare system has been negative in terms of you look back throughout the state or whatever. If the option had been there for me, I wouldn't have gone. Catherine Kane, a religious education student, spoke to us on how the opt-out circular will affect her future profession. It will make the four years of my college the money I've spent on my education out the window. It will not benefit me in any benefit or in any way, shape, form or description, and it will probably mean I will go abroad to teach, which is heartbreaking for me because this is the one place I've wanted to be. To, it will affect children. It's not Bible batting anymore. That's gone out the window. It's not I don't stand there with a Bible in my hand and teach these children to love Jesus and to pray five times a day or to wear a hijab. That's not what religion is. The Religion Teachers Association of Ireland have written a letter to Richard Bruton, Minister for Education, expressing their concern with some of the language used in the opt-out circular. They say it undermines over 20 years of work Religion Teachers have done in Ireland. At the moment, E.T.B. state-run schools are the only ones affected by the opt-out circular. This is Cautch Caden for DCU-TV News.