A bill that would remove the Good Friday alcohol ban, recently passed in the Seanad by a large majority. The debate on this issue was notable for how pervasive the core arguments of secularism, and the freedom of religion and belief, have now become within...
This week in Geneva, the United Nations Human Rights Committee questioned Pakistan on its human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Before this, the Committee was briefed by six NGOs, including a unique joint delegation from Atheist Ireland, the Evangelical...
In the coming week, Irish Atheists, Evangelicals and Ahmadi Muslims will be jointly challenging human rights abuses in Pakistan, at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. We will be speaking out for persecuted religious and nonreligious minorities living in Pakistan, who are afraid to speak...
Atheist Ireland and many parents are challenging the second level school transport scheme, which is unjust and discriminatory. And Ruth Coppinger TD has asked the Minister for Education the latest in a series of Dail questions, which you can read below, in relation to the...
Minister Bruton’s new proposal on schools admissions is an unjust fine-tuning of an already unjust religious discrimination. He is proposing to stop Catholic schools refusing to admit children on the basis of religion, but minority faith primary schools will be allowed to continue doing this....
The Oireachtas Education Committee has made two important recommendations regarding religious discrimination in Irish schools. The most important proposal is respecting the right to opt out from religion in schools, and putting in place guidelines to enable this to happen. The second is ending the...
This week, the Supreme Court has ruled that the polygamous second marriage of a Lebanese man is not valid under Irish law, while in contrast his first marriage will be valid. Under Lebanese law a man can have up to four wives but this ruling...
A school in Kerry is to re-open as a Community National School. The Bishop of Kerry is to transfer a primary school to the patronage of the local Education and Training Board. The Catholic Church prefer the (ETB) Community National schools because these schools reflect...
In recent months Islamist terrorists have committed mass murders in Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, the Philippines, Syria, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Their victims have ranged from Muslims at a Sufi shrine, to Christians in Church, and random...
For the first time ever, Irish Atheists, Evangelicals and Ahmadiyya Muslims are jointly challenging human rights abuses in Pakistan at the United Nations. Yesterday we made a written submission to the UN, which is now on the UN website, and in July we will be...