The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said that the approach of the current Seanad Bill allowing religious discrimination is undesirable, and may continue to leave the State exposed to a breach of its obligations under the European Employment Equality Directive 2000/78. In a...
The concerns and proposals raised by Atheist Ireland in our briefing document to Senators were raised in the Seanad today, during a Committee Stage debate on Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act. This is the Section that allows religious institutions, including schools and hospitals,...
This Wednesday 9 April, Irish Senators will discuss a Bill that aims to amend Section 37 of the Irish Employment Equality Act. This is the Section that allows religious institutions, including schools and hospitals, an exemption to discriminate against employees to protect the religious ethos...
Atheist Ireland will be asking all European and Local Election candidates to sign a Secular Statement, based on the one adopted at the World Atheist Convention in Dublin in 2011. We will publish details of all responses, to enable voters to know which candidates are...
Ireland is due to appear before the UN Human Rights Committee in July this year. The UN have asked Ireland to explain what it is doing to protect minorities in Irish schools and how many non-denominational schools has it established since 2008. It seems that...
Atheist Ireland has made the following written submission to the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on Ireland’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 1. Overview The key priorities and challenges facing Ireland in complying with the ICCPR are to comply with Articles...
Atheist Ireland has made the following submission on the Draft General Scheme for Advance Healthcare Directives for Incorporation into the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill (2013) 1. Introduction 1.1 Atheist Ireland is an Irish advocacy group. We promote atheism and reason over superstition and supernaturalism, and...
The Oireachtas joint Committee on Education has concluded that multiple patronage and ethos as a basis for policy can lead to segregation and inequality in the education system, and that the objectives of admission policy should be equality and integration. This reflects the arguments made...
In Ireland, to solemnise marriages under the Civil Registration Act, secular bodies must be ethical and humanist and cannot promote a political cause. On the other hand if you are a religious body that wants to solemnise marriages, you are not required to be ethical...
When You Gaze at the Universe is a song by Pat McGinley from Derry about the power of science and the failure of religion to explain the awe-inspiring wonders of the universe. “Milky Way Rise over Yavapai, Grand Canyon” by Yogendra174 is licensed under CC...