Please join or rejoin Atheist Ireland, and help to promote an ethical secular Ireland

Atheist Ireland is seeking new members to help us to promote an ethical secular Ireland, where your child can attend school without religious discrimination and indoctrination, and can grow up to aspire to be Taoiseach or President or a Judge without having to swear a religious oath. You can also take part in informal social events where you can meet likeminded people.

Your subscription will be used to:

• Further our campaign to have an ethical secular State in Ireland, that favours neither religion nor atheism.
• Persuade the Irish government to not educate non-religious children in schools run by the Catholic church
• Stop the Catholic church from excluding non-religious children from primary schools
• Keep the pressure on the government to urgently remove our blasphemy law, which has an impact internationally.
• Promote freedom of conscience and equality before the law for all citizens, regardless of  religious or non-religious beliefs.
• Enable us to work with organisations worldwide to help us with all these campaigns and human rights.

For instance we have been invited to attend a Government briefing in June on Ireland’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and we will be going to the United Nations in Geneva in July to take part in the UN Human Rights Committee’s examination of Ireland’s record on human rights.

We have already helped to ensure that the United Nations is insisting that Ireland meets its treaty obligations with regard to freedom of conscience, equality before the law and freedom from discrimination, particularly with regard to the UN’s call for nondenominational schools in Ireland, but we know that we must continue this work until success comes our way.

Here are some examples of our recent political work to advance an ethical, Secular state:

• Dublin Declaration on Secularism
• 5 Steps to Secularism Securing Civil Rights in Ireland
• Participation in Constitutional Convention on Secularisation
• Briefing on current Admission to Schools Bill
• Participation in Forum on Patronage and Pluralism
• Dublin Declaration on Secularism Empowering Women
• Contribution to Senate abortion law hearings
• Submission on Scheme for Advance Healthcare Directives
• Submission on State Report to UN under the ICCPR
• Submission to Seanad on ICCPR Obligations
• OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Interventions
• Briefing on Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill
• Briefing on Civil Registration Bill (now Act)

We also organise social events around the country, including our family-friendly Secular Sunday Brunches, and our Atheists in the Pub events. We have a growing number of local branches, who organise local events, monitor local media, and lobby local politicians.

Our organisation is staffed by volunteers, who give freely of their time, so your subscription only goes to essentials like the cost of the web site, administration, political advocacy and necessary travel costs. For perspective, the costs of taking part in the United Nations Human Rights Committee examination of Ireland will absorb nearly a tenth of our limited funds. A much needed overhaul of our web site will also be a tenth of our funds. Subscription income is main source of funding together with some very generous donations.

Membership costs only €25 a year, or €10 if you are unwaged.

Why join Atheist Ireland?

• You can help to build an ethical and secular Ireland.
• You have a say in determining policy and electing officers.
• You can attend members meetings and our AGM.

How is Atheist Ireland funded?

• Your membership fees and donations fund the activities of Atheist Ireland.
• Annual membership fee is €25, or €10 for unwaged persons.
• You can pay online by paypal, or else post us a cheque or postal order.
• Members can examine our accounts at each AGM.

How do I join Atheist Ireland?

• You can join Atheist Ireland online now by clicking here
• Or you can post your membership by filling in this form

For more details, please contact our Regional Officer Ashling O’Brien at regional (at) atheist (dot) ie.