Secular Sunday #179 – Equality for Everyone
31/05/2015

Secular Sunday #179 – Equality for Everyone

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Is there religious equality in our third level educational institutions?
26/05/2015

Is there religious equality in our third level educational institutions?

Atheist Ireland has examined, through a Freedom of Information request to Dundalk Institute of Technology, how decisions around the direct funding of Churches from public monies are made.  Article 44.2.2 of the Irish Constitution says that “the State guarantees not to endow any religion.” This provision prohibits the funding of a specific ...

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State tells UN that children are refused access to schools only in exceptional cases
25/05/2015

State tells UN that children are refused access to schools only in exceptional cases

The State has informed the United Nations that Irish legislation provides that, in exceptional cases, a school can refuse to admit a student who is not of the religion of the school, provided that it can prove that this refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school. This ...

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Secular Sunday #178 – Ireland Says Yes
24/05/2015

Secular Sunday #178 – Ireland Says Yes

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The requirement in the Electoral Act to take a religious oath is a breach of human rights
22/05/2015

The requirement in the Electoral Act to take a religious oath is a breach of human rights

The Electoral Act 1992 obliges persons to object publicly to taking a religious oath before they are offered an affirmation. The requirement to publicly object to taking a religious oath before you are offered an affirmation is a breach of human rights. Last July the UN Human Rights Committee reminded ...

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What about the freedom of conscience of Catholic parents who disagree with the Church?
18/05/2015

What about the freedom of conscience of Catholic parents who disagree with the Church?

Despite claims from the No side, teaching practices will not change in Irish schools if there is a Yes vote in the marriage referendum. There are many Catholic parents who support marriage equality, and their children, along with the children of secular parents and religious minorities will continue to be ...

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Secular Sunday #177 – Sincerely Held Beliefs
17/05/2015

Secular Sunday #177 – Sincerely Held Beliefs

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The State is giving religious privilege to the Catholic Marriage Agency Accord
17/05/2015

The State is giving religious privilege to the Catholic Marriage Agency Accord

The Government has cut the funding of Accord, a Catholic Marriage Agency by €378,000 for pre-marriage courses. But despite this cut in funding, Accord will continue to receive State funding for their other services which are all based on the beliefs of one specific religion. Accord offers various services according ...

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Holy See approves new Irish Religious Education Curriculum for non-religious Irish families
14/05/2015

Holy See approves new Irish Religious Education Curriculum for non-religious Irish families

The Republic of Ireland now has approval from the Holy See for a curriculum developed in a publicly funded Teacher Training College, for all children in publicly funded National schools. regardless of their religious or nonreligious beliefs. Saint Patrick’s Teacher Training College has announced this in language reminiscent of the ...

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Secular Sunday #176 – A Better Life
10/05/2015

Secular Sunday #176 – A Better Life

This week’s Secular Sunday can be found here. To avoid missing out, sign up here to receive Secular Sunday by email.