The Department of Education went ahead with controversial plans to separate young children according to their religion in its new multi-faith schools.
This was despite a warning from its own curriculum development agency that this might not be in the children's own best interests.
The details are contained in documents released to RTE News under Freedom of Information.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment warned that separating children in infant classes based on religion ran counter to research on how children settled and built a foundation for success at school.
In 2008, the Department of Education asked the NCCA to develop a religious education curriculum for children attending the new Community National Schools.
It stipulated that the programme had to provide for religious formation, such as preparation for Communion for Catholic children, during the school day.
