New directive on religious instruction will change the culture of ETB schools
19/02/2018 18 Comments

New directive on religious instruction will change the culture of ETB schools

Atheist Ireland welcomes the Department of Education’s new directive on religious instruction in second-level ETB schools. It is the most significant recognition of the constitutional and human rights of atheist, minority faith, and secular families in Irish schools since Atheist Ireland was founded. These rights have always existed, and now ...

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Atheist Ireland welcomes proposed opt-out from religious instruction in ETB schools
14/02/2018 No Comments

Atheist Ireland welcomes proposed opt-out from religious instruction in ETB schools

Finally, in ETB schools, a proper opt-out from religion seems about to happen, with alternative subjects being offered at the start of the year, based on proposals that Atheist Ireland has been intensively lobbying for in recent years. The Irish Times has seen records of a coming Ministerial Circular that ...

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Religious discrimination against women in Ireland – Jane Donnelly in La Raison magazine
11/02/2018 No Comments

Religious discrimination against women in Ireland – Jane Donnelly in La Raison magazine

Atheist Ireland works internationally, as members of Atheist Alliance International and the International Humanist and Ethical Union. We also work directly with atheist and secular groups in other countries, to share information and to help each other to achieve separation of church and state. The February 2018 edition of La ...

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Minister for Education to review ETB schools paying Catholic Church to train students to evangelise
31/01/2018 No Comments

Minister for Education to review ETB schools paying Catholic Church to train students to evangelise

The Minister for Education has told Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger that he will review the practice of ETB schools paying the Roman Catholic Church to train students in faith leadership. Last month Atheist Ireland revealed details of these controversial courses, that train some students to evangelise others, through our freedom ...

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Atheist Ireland attends meeting of Census Advisory Group on Religion Question for 2021 census
23/01/2018 No Comments

Atheist Ireland attends meeting of Census Advisory Group on Religion Question for 2021 census

Atheist Ireland attended a three-hour meeting yesterday of the Census Advisory Group on the religion question for the 2021 census. We had previously made this written submission to the process. At the meeting, we added the arguments outlined in this report. We will report later on the content of the meeting. The ...

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Atheist Ireland to attend meeting of Census 2021 Advisory Group on Religion question
16/01/2018

Atheist Ireland to attend meeting of Census 2021 Advisory Group on Religion question

Atheist Ireland will be attending a meeting next Monday of the Census 2021 Advisory Group on the questions of Religion and Ethnicity. The meeting will take place in the Central Statistics Office. Atheist Ireland has proposed changes to the religion question. Our proposals are that the question should be optional, ...

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Atheist Ireland asks IHREC to recommend strengthening SIPO law
16/01/2018

Atheist Ireland asks IHREC to recommend strengthening SIPO law

This weekend, the Citizens' Assembly has recommended strengthening the laws governing political parties and campaign groups that are seeking a particular outcome in a referendum. It has recommended equal public funding for both sides, limits on spending, and a ban on anonymous donations. Atheist Ireland agrees with these recommendations, just ...

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FOI documents reveal Atheist Ireland’s impact on review of religion in ETB schools
15/01/2018

FOI documents reveal Atheist Ireland’s impact on review of religion in ETB schools

Based on new documents obtained under Freedom of Information Act, and on our meeting with the Department of Education last month, Atheist Ireland is optimistic that the Minister for Education will soon issue a Circular Letter about the timetabling of religion in ETB schools, that we requested the Minister to ...

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The SIPO law was strengthened in 2015 to deal with Youth Defence. It needs to be strengthened further.
06/01/2018

The SIPO law was strengthened in 2015 to deal with Youth Defence. It needs to be strengthened further.

The SIPO law was strengthened in 2015, to deal with Youth Defence’s refusal to comply with it, after Youth Defence had published billboard advertisements showing images of young, distraught women and foetuses, and carrying slogans such as ‘Abortion tears her life apart.’ It is now essential that the SIPO law is ...

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Atheist Ireland calls for secular polling stations and stronger SIPO laws for referendums
02/01/2018

Atheist Ireland calls for secular polling stations and stronger SIPO laws for referendums

The Citizens' Assembly will this month be considering the manner in which referendums are run. Atheist Ireland has made the following submission, calling for a secular environment in polling stations, and financial limits and accountability for campaigners. 1. Introduction Atheist Ireland is an Irish advocacy group. We promote atheism and ...

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