Religious orders have the right to exist, but not to privilege and undue influence in public life
In a recent article in the Irish Examiner, Fergus Finley asks “Why do we still allow religious orders to exist?” He was responding to the latest revelations of clerical sex abuse in Irish schools, this time by the Spiritans who run Blackrock College, and the Carmelites who ran Terenure College. ...
Atheist Ireland asks TDs to amend Incitement to Hatred Bill
Atheist Ireland is asking TDs to amend the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 as follows: Please amend the above Bill to: (a) give equal protection to people with religious beliefs, and people with positive nonreligious philosophical convictions including atheism and secularism, and (b) ...
New Atheist Ireland report – Schools are still defying the law on admission policies
Two years ago, in October 2020, we published a report on how 100 sample schools were defying the legal requirement to publish an Admission Policy which must include details of the school’s arrangements for students who do not want to attend religious instruction. We brought the results to the attention ...
Atheist Ireland submission to UN on combating intolerance based on religion or belief
Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights who is preparing report on combating intolerance against persons based on religion or belief. Contents 1. Background to Atheist Ireland 2. Our recommendations 3. The UN and States should use the phrase ‘religion or belief’ consistently ...
Religion and Belief in the Charities Amendment Bill
Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands about Religion and Belief in the Charities Amendment Bill. Contents 1. Introduction to Atheist Ireland 2. Our recommendation 3. Amend ‘Religion’ to ‘Religion or Belief’ 4. The Constitution protects ...
Atheist Ireland raises religious discrimination with the UN Human Rights Committee
The United Nations Human Rights Committee is questioning Ireland in July about our human rights record under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, or ICCPR. Atheist Ireland has made the following submission about Freedom of Conscience, Religion, and Belief. You can also read it here on the United Nations ...
The National Maternity Hospital and Article 44 of the Constitution
In a democratic republic, the State should own and directly run the national maternity hospital. It should not cede control over this essential public service to any private institution, such as Saint Vincent’s Holdings. Our Constitution was heavily influenced by Catholic Church teaching. There are Articles in our Constitution that ...
Amend Equal Status Act, say Atheist Ireland and IHREC
The Department of Justice is reviewing the Equal Status Act and the Employment Equality Acts. Atheist Ireland made a Submission which you can find here. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission also made a submission, which you can find here. Under the Equal Status Act schools can refuse access to a ...
The proposed new bank holiday should be inclusive not religious
If the Government is to introduce a new bank holiday, it should not be named after or associated with any religious or atheistic figure or belief. It should simply be an inclusive public holiday for everybody, regardless of their religious beliefs or nonreligious philosophical convictions. In particular, if it is ...
International funding of political campaigns against sexual and reproductive rights
This article covers: Part 1 — Funding of Political Campaigns of Religious Bodies Part 2 — EPF Report on International Funding of Religious Bodies Part 3 — EPF Report on Agenda Europe Discussion Document Part 4 — Protecting Democracy from Big Money Between Elections Part 1 — Funding of Political ...