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 ...
Zappone scandal shows need to protect legal definition of political purposes
The Katherine Zappone scandal shows quite clearly what everybody knows: that most political influence is sought and granted or not between elections, not merely during the few weeks of a formal election or referendum campaign. That is why Atheist Ireland is lobbying to strengthen, not subvert, the definition of political ...
What will Ireland’s Special Envoy to the UN on Freedom of Expression actually do?
Obviously there should have been a transparent procedure to select Ireland’s Special Envoy to the UN on Freedom of Expression. But a more important issue is what does the job consist of, and why was the position created? A Government spokesman said that the Special Envoy would “focus on freedom ...
The Student and Parent Charter Bill must protect the right to not attend religious instruction
Atheist Ireland has sent the following Letter and Briefing Document for TDs and Senators regarding the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019 and the Constitutional right to ‘not attend’ religious instruction in publicly-funded schools Dear TD/Senator, The Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019 is making its way through ...
Atheist Ireland submission to Government Anti-Racism Committee
Atheist Ireland made a submission this week to the Department of Equality's Independent Anti-Racism Committee. You can read that submission in full at this link. Below is the overview and contents sections of the submission. Introduction to the submission As atheists, we empathise with members of other groups who face prejudice ...
Atheist Freethinkers of Montreal defend Bill 21, Quebec’s recent secularism law
Atheist Freethinkers/Libres Penseurs Athées of Montreal today made an online presentation in support of Bill 21, a recent law that promotes separation of Church and State in Quebec, which is facing ongoing legal challenges. The law was passed in June 2019, entitled ‘An Act respecting the laicity of the State.’ ...
Another court judgment that supports the rights of atheist and secular parents
In Ireland parents have a constitutional right to raise their children in accordance with their philosophical convictions. The State is constitutionally obliged to respect that right in the education system. Despite this Church and State continue to ignore the findings of the courts in Ireland and evangelise all children into ...
Education Minister cannot rely on NCCA to deliver objective sex education – the law must change
In the Dail yesterday Donnchadh O’Laoghaire from Sinn Fein asked the Minister for Education about sex education in schools. You can view and read the full exchange here. In her response the Minister acknowledged that RSE was an important right for students. She also said that: “The Department of Education ...