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 ...
How Religion Harms Education – Talk by Aron Ra next Tuesday, 21 April, at public meeting in Dublin
Aron Ra, Texas State Director of American Atheists, will be speaking in Dublin next Tuesday evening at a public meeting organised by Atheist Ireland, about how religion harms education. It will be Aron's first talk for Atheist Ireland since our successful World Atheist Convention in Dublin in 2011. The meeting ...
Conscience clauses in the Constitution
With all the talk about ‘conscience clauses’ and the same-sex marriage referendum we would like to remind Church and State that there is a ‘conscience clause’ in our Constitution regarding education that they ignore all the time. Article 42.3.1 of the Irish Constitution states that:- The State shall not oblige ...
The National Council for Curriculum & Assessment has a positive obligation to protect human rights
Atheist Ireland recently met with the NCCA and presented them with a Document named; Respecting the philosophical convictions of atheist/secular families in the education system. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment are developing a course on Education about Religions and Beliefs and Ethics (ERB). Given the legal framework in ...
Atheist Ireland meets NCCA about exemption from ERB and Ethics course for Primary Schools
This week Jane Donnelly and Michael Nugent met with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to discuss our concerns about the proposed Education about Religions and Beliefs (ERB) and Ethics course for Primary Schools in Ireland. The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism recommended that this new course be ...
New Catholic Church schools guidelines fail to protect rights of atheist and secular families
The Catholic Bishops Schools Partnership today released a document titled ‘Catholic Primary Schools in a Changing Ireland - Sharing good Practice on Inclusion of All Pupils’. Bishops website report RTE news report These proposals claim to be inclusive, but they are only inclusive of families who agree to submit to ...
This photo of Atheist Ireland meeting the Taoiseach is significant for who it does not include
This is part of the Atheist Ireland delegation that met the Taoiseach and Minister for Education last week, in the first formal meeting between an Irish Prime Minister and an atheist advocacy group in the history of the State. The photograph is significant for who it does not not include. ...
Are “Catholic first” Admission Policies unconstitutional? Equality Authority report endorses Atheist Ireland arguments
Atheist Ireland’s ongoing campaign to ensure that publicly funded schools do not discriminate on religious grounds is picking up pace, with our arguments effectively endorsed by both the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission, the two bodies that have recently merged to form the new Irish Human Rights ...
Draft General Scheme of Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2013 does not remove religious discrimination in access to schools.
In September 2013 the government published a Draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, as well as Draft Regulations. The proposed Education (Admission to Schools) Bill will not remove religious discrimination in access to schools or provide non discriminatory exemptions that would suit the wishes of parents. ...
Atheist Ireland submission to Children’s Rights Alliance on UN Convention on Rights of the Child
Atheist Ireland today sent this submission to the Children's Rights Alliance on the UN Convention on Rights of the Child. It is part of the process of briefing the UN before the UN questions Ireland about fulfilling its obligations under this Convention. Contents 1. Article 2 - Non Discrimination 2. ...