Atheist Ireland replies to Minister for Education re VEC Community Schools
In April, Atheist Ireland wrote to the Minister for Education about Document No. 154 of material released to RTE under the Freedom of Information Act. This document outlined how parents in a VEC community school were told that: “It is true that all morality is based on love – of ...
Atheist Ireland submission on draft State report to UN on Civil and Political Rights
On 3rd May, Atheist Ireland attended a consultation at the Department of Foreign Affairs on the Draft Irish State Report to the United Nations under the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights. We have also made a written submission that Government departments will consider as the State prepares its ...
Secular Sunday #19 – A Little Bit of Politics
It's time for Secular Sunday! In this issue: News Upcoming Events Oireachtas Report (more…)
Report from the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism
Last Tuesday 10th April the Minister for Education & Skills released the Report from the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism. http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=56996 The Minister for Education & Skills has asked that the interested parties examine the report and take time to reflect on and digest the recommendations. The Minister will outline ...
Michael Nugent and Fr Vincent Twomey on Newstalk Radio
On Wednesday 7 March, Newstalk Radio interviewed Michael Nugent and Father Vincent Twomey about the Hibernia College teacher training course controversy. Twomey had written course notes on religion for Hibernia that included inaccurate claims about atheism and atheists, and Hibernia College had removed the course notes after a meeting with ...
Atheist Ireland to assist Hibernia College with pluralist religion and ethics curriculum
Atheist Ireland today met with Hibernia College to discuss the course notes that made untrue statements about atheism and atheists. The meeting was very productive. The relevant course notes have been removed. Michael Nugent is preparing an initial one-hour introductory lesson for Hibernia College on atheism and nonreligious ethics. After ...
Hibernia College teacher training course teaches untrue claims about atheism and atheists
Hibernia College Dublin, in its Higher Diploma in Arts in Primary Education, is teaching as part of its Religion module several untrue statements about atheism and at least two defamatory allegations about modern atheists. This includes course notes that claim that “What bothers very few of its latter-day exponents is ...
Report of Atheist Ireland meeting with Council of Europe delegations on human rights
On Monday 27 February, Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland met two Council of Europe delegations who were in Dublin monitoring Ireland’s record in protecting human rights. They are the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), and the Advisory Committee for the Framework Convention for the Protection ...
Secular Sunday #5 – Make Your Voice Heard
Wakey Wakey! It's time for another Secular Sunday. First things first: TODAY at 2:00 pm, Atheist Ireland presents "Is Anything Sacred?", a public discussion of Irish and international blasphemy laws. Our speakers are two world-class experts on blasphemy law: Austin Dacey, Ph.D. from New York, who represents the International Humanist ...
We must respect human rights of parents who want secular schools
The Irish Independent today published this article by Michael Nugent about the human right to a secular education. It includes the key points that Atheist Ireland made in our response to the interim report of the Forum for Patronage and Pluralism in Irish Education. The final report will be given ...