Atheist Ireland | Education Archives

10/10/2018 No Comments Atheist Ireland

Department confirms to Atheist Ireland that students CAN opt out from NCCA religion course in ETB schools

At a meeting today with Atheist Ireland, the Department of Education has confirmed that all students can still opt out of the NCCA State course in religious education in ETB schools, despite the recent Circular Letter suggesting the opposite. However, ETB schools will not be obliged to offer such students ...

05/10/2018 No Comments Atheist Ireland

New Circular Letter for religion in ETB schools? Atheist Ireland to meet Department of Education

We were shocked to read a report in the Irish Times this morning that the Department of Education may be considering a new Circular Letter to ETB schools that would force students to attend the State course in Religious Education against their conscience, contrary to Section 30.2(e) of the Education ...

26/08/2018 No Comments Atheist Ireland

As Pope Francis visits Dublin, Jane Donnelly calls for secular schools at People Before Profit public meeting

While Pope Francis was speaking in Croke Park in Dublin, Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland was making the case for a secular education system free from Catholic Church influence. Jane was speaking at a public meeting convened by People Before Profit, about Separation of Church and State. Here is the ...

06/08/2018 No Comments Atheist Ireland

Don’t tell him, Pike! Bishop Doran reveals intention to further evangelise during sex education

In the sitcom Dad’s Army, Private Pike is famous for blurting out the truth at inconvenient times, to the annoyance of Captain Mainwaring. In one scene, a German U-Boat Captain asks Pike what his name is. Mainwaring interjects by barking: ‘Don’t tell him, Pike!’ Bishop Kevin Doran has created the ...

17/07/2018 Atheist Ireland

Catholic Church admits studying religion is a disadvantage, but wants the State to impose it anyway

The Catholic Church has acknowledged that studying religion in school, instead of other subjects, puts students at a disadvantage, and it is trying to insist that State-run schools make all students suffer that disadvantage. This is revealed in an article in the Irish Times by Carl O'Brien today, based on a ...

11/07/2018 Atheist Ireland

Atheist Ireland welcomes part of Schools Admissions Bill and continues our work for secular schools

The Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill has now passed in the Dail. From September the vast majority of schools will no longer be able to discriminate in entry on the grounds of religion. However, minority religious schools can still continue to discriminate as they still have exemptions from equality laws. ...

13/06/2018 Atheist Ireland

Atheist Ireland asks Oireachtas Committee for objective sex education without religious ethos

Jane Donnelly, Human Rights Officer of Atheist Ireland, yesterday gave evidence to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education about the need for objective sex education. Jane is pictured above with Cliona Saidlear of Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Aoife Neary of University of Limerick, and Debbie Ging of DCU, who also ...

09/06/2018 Atheist Ireland

Atheist Ireland promotes secular schools at European Policy Conference On Equality in Education

Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland today promoted the need for secular schools at a European Policy Conference in Limerick on Equality in Education, hosted by Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada. Jane made the case for ending all religious discrimination and privilege in Irish schools, in line with the lessons ...

09/05/2018 Atheist Ireland

Atheist Ireland, Evangelical Alliance, and Ahmadi Muslims welcome plan to end religious discrimination in access to schools

Minister for Education Richard Bruton has announced plans to prohibit State-funded primary schools run by the Catholic Church from discriminating in access on the ground of religion, but which will allow State-funded schools run by minority religions to continue to discriminate on the ground of religion if they are oversubscribed. ...

25/04/2018 Atheist Ireland

Despite TUI claims, the Directive on alternatives to religious education can be implemented

Recently on RTE, in a debate with Atheist Ireland’s Michael Nugent, the General Secretary of the Teachers Union of Ireland said his Union would refuse to even try to implement the new Directive allowing students to choose another subject instead of religion in ETB schools. The TUI’s John MacGabhann gave ...