Gay rights activists have called on the Government to legislate to outlaw discrimination against members of the gay and lesbian communities in schools across the country.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has called for reform of the Equality Status Act, which it says allows education institutes run by religious orders to discriminate against homosexual teachers and students on the basis of religious ethos.
Speaking at an event to mark International Day Against Homophobia (Idaho) on Dublin's O'Connell Street yesterday, USI spokesman Steven Conlon said: "Neither teachers nor students in a huge number of educational establishments nationwide are comfortable with saying they're gay.
"In many cases teachers are worried they could lose their jobs. That situation has to change in 21st century Ireland."
The union called on the Government to condemn homophobic laws in other countries such as Poland, "one particularly troubling example of an EU government that condones the denigration of gay and lesbian people by legal means".
More than 30 members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transsexual (LGBT) Network gathered at Dublin's Spire at noon as part of a worldwide drive to break down the negative stereotypes surrounding homosexuality.
The group departed from The Outhouse on Capel Street - a resource centre for the LGBT community - after 11.30am. They were joined by members of the Dundalk Outcomers group at the Spire.
The group called on the Government to petition the United Nations to incorporate a declaration on homosexuality into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.