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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Atheist Ireland to brief United Nations Committee in Geneva on breaches of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Next month, on 8th and 9th of June, Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly will represent Atheist Ireland in Geneva, when the United Nations will be examining the Irish State about its human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. We will be briefing the United ...
An Taoiseach Responds to Atheist Ireland Open Letter
In February of this year, Atheist Ireland met An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD in his offices. One issue that we discussed related to the government promise of a referendum on blasphemy. In fact, during the meeting Atheist Ireland presented An Taoiseach with an open letter addressed to him directly, from many high profile signatories ...