Atheist Ireland raised several issues with the UN Human Rights Committee who questioned Ireland about this week under the International Convention on Civil and Political Liberties. We also highlighted during the session misleading answers from Ireland.

For example, Ireland told the UN Committee that it aims to have 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030. But the State ignored the fact that the UN Committee has repeatedly asked Ireland to also provide secular or non-denominational schools.

Indeed, Ireland misled the UN Committee in its written response, by saying the government’s objective is to have 400 ‘multi-denominational or non-denominational schools’. But this is not true. The programme for government refers only to ‘multi-denominational’ schools.

The UN Human Rights Committee also asked Ireland about religious beliefs influencing the practice of symphysiotomy, removing the religious oaths in the Constitution, and why Ireland has defended the religious oaths in the Constitution at the European Court of Human Rights.

And in the final question of the session, the Committee reminded Ireland that it had not given any information about its commitment to provide a greater number of non-confessional or secular schools.

As always, you can help us to continue our work by joining Atheist Ireland as a member, or by asking anybody who you think may be interested in joining us to do so. We are an entirely voluntary body with no paid staff, and we depend on our members to continue our work. You can join Atheist Ireland here.

Atheist Ireland had this letter published in the Irish Times this week following the UN Human Rights Committee questioning Ireland under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman told the UN Human Rights Committee this week that Ireland aims to have 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030. But he simply ignored the fact that the UN Committee has repeatedly asked Ireland to also provide secular or non-denominational schools.
Indeed, Ireland misled the UN Committee in its written response, by saying the government’s objective is to have 400 ‘multi-denominational or non-denominational schools’. But this is not true. The programme for government refers only to ‘multi-denominational’ schools.
And in the final question of this week’s UN session, the Committee reminded Ireland that it had not given any information about its commitment to provide a greater number of non-confessional or secular schools.
Why is this important? Opening up more multi-denominational schools will not necessarily help minorities as many of these schools operate in practice as Catholic schools while claiming that they have a Christian ethos.
Even with the maximum implementation of the proposed Government plan of 400 multi- denominational schools (and no non-denominational schools), that would still leave 85% of schools with a single denominational ethos.
Also, most areas have standalone schools, so atheist or minority faith parents in those areas would have no choice other than to send their child to a school with an even stronger Catholic ethos, which is what the Bishops are lobbying for in return for divesting a small number of schools.
All of this shows why multiple patronage and multiple ethos as the basis for policy is the underlying problem in Irish schools, not the solution. The Oireachtas Education Committee has already concluded that this brings about segregation of children and inequality.
Ultimately the only way for the education system to treat everybody equally is to have state funded secular schools that do not promote either religion or atheism, but simply teach children in an objective, critical, and pluralistic manner. Read more…

Ireland responded that the Government’s objective is to have 400 multi-denominational or non- denominational schools in the primary system by 2030. But this is not true. The programme for government refers only to multi-denominational schools.

The State’s written response to the committee is false. There are no publicly funded secular or non-denominational schools in Ireland, and there are no plans to open any or to divest patronage to any.

Opening up more multi-denominational schools will not necessarily help minorities as many of these schools operate in practice as Catholic schools while claiming that they have a Christian ethos.

Even with the maximum implementation of the proposed Government plan of 400 multi- denominational schools (and no non-denominational schools), that would still leave 85% of schools with a single denominational ethos.

Atheist Ireland, in our written submission to today’s session, responded to the Government’s statement by telling the UN Human Rights Committee about these discrepancies.

Today Minister Roderick O’Gorman in his opening contribution told the UN Human Rights Committee that Ireland aims to have 400 multi-denominational primary schools. He ignored the fact that Ireland was asked about non-denominational or secular schools.

We have again informed the UN Committee about this today. The Committee will be questioning Ireland in detail about education and freedom of belief tomorrow. It will be interesting to see what the Irish state says about this issue.

In today’s final question, Ms. Hélène Tigroudja of the UN Human Rights Committee has reminded Ireland it did not give any information about its commitment to provide a greater number of non-confessional or secular schools and remove religious oaths. #ICCPRIreland

Ireland has told the UN Human Rights Committee that it will give further details in writing about the religious oaths in the constitution and the Censorship of Publications Act 1929

How Ireland is misleading the UN Human Rights Committee today about the Education (Admission to Schools) Act. #ICCPRIreland

Ireland has just told the Committee that the Admission to Schools Act says that Admission policies must include arrangements for dealing with students who do not attend religious instruction.

That is indeed in the Act, but the Department of Education knows it is ignored in practice. Atheist Ireland has sent research to the Department about this.

We compiled research on a sample hundred admission policies of schools, and we found that most schools are defying this requirement of the Act.

Some schools do not refer at all to this requirement. Of those that do refer to it, most denominational schools try to evade the requirement by stating that parents must seek a meeting with the Principal.

Most ETB schools try to evade the requirement by making a spurious distinction with no legal basis between religious instruction and religious education.

Most schools do not address the right to not attend the class, i.e. the right to not physically leave the classroom and be supervised or get another subject.

Some schools unlawfully ask parents to give reasons for wanting their children to not attend
religion classes of any description thus breaching the right to privacy.

These evasions are coordinated, based on common templates from either the Catholic
Church, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, or the Education and Training Boards.

The State should ensure that schools actually write the details of the arrangements into their admission policies, and not just say parents have to meet with the school principal.

Ireland has just told the UN Human Rights Committee that it will give further details in writing from reports about any relationship between religion and symphysiotomy

Mr. Yadh Ben Achour of the UN Human Rights Committee has asked Ireland how the Censorship of Publications Act 1929 is consistent with the provisions of the Covenant?
Mr. Yadh Ben Achour of the UN Human Rights Committee has asked Ireland why it has defended the religious oaths in the Constitution at the European Court of Human Rights?

Mr. Yadh Ben Achour of the UN Human Rights Committee has asked Ireland about removing the religious oaths in the Constitution – why has this been laid aside?

Mr. Yadh Ben Achour of the UN Human Rights Committee has asked Ireland about the Education (Admission to Schools Act) – How does this law guarantee a fair and balanced approach in all schools?

Mr. Yadh Ben Achour of the UN Human Rights Committee has followed up on his question from yesterday if there were religious reasons for the use of symphysiotomy in Irish hospitals? He did not get an answer yesterday.

Atheist Ireland’s ‘notme.ie‘ is a place where people can publicly renounce the religion of their childhood. Currently there are 1929 symbolic defections. Many share their reasons for making a public symbolic defection which you can read here. 

Tell us what you think

Have you any feedback that you would like to give us on the Secular Sunday newsletter. What are we getting right? What could we improve on? Is there something you would like to see included? Drop us an email at secularsunday@atheist.ie.

Atheist Ireland is an entirely volunteer run organisation. We receive no grants or government funding to continue our campaign work. We rely entirely on membership fess and donations.

Annual membership is nominal; €25 waged, €10 unwaged/student and €40 for family membership. Please consider becoming a member. Membership means:

National

Religious groups to retain ownership of schools that become multidenominational

By Carl O’Brien

Podcasts, Videos and Interviews

Ireland

International

Ireland

• Applications to rezone church lands refused
• N. Ireland to adopt marriage law reforms backed by NSS
• Plan to turn Dublin Magdalene laundry into memorial centre set for approval.

International

• Fox News Contributor Says Exorcisms Are the Most Important Thing We Can Do to Stop Mass Shootings 
• ‘Stunning blow’: Push to elevate role of women in Catholic Church fails
• Twelve religious group members arrested over Australian girls death