Atheist Ireland works internationally, as members of Atheist Alliance International and the International Humanist and Ethical Union. We also work directly with atheist and secular groups in other countries, to share information and to help each other to achieve separation of church and state. The...
The Minister for Education has told Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger that he will review the practice of ETB schools paying the Roman Catholic Church to train students in faith leadership. Last month Atheist Ireland revealed details of these controversial courses, that train some students to...
This weekend, the Citizens’ Assembly has recommended strengthening the laws governing political parties and campaign groups that are seeking a particular outcome in a referendum. It has recommended equal public funding for both sides, limits on spending, and a ban on anonymous donations. Atheist Ireland...
Based on new documents obtained under Freedom of Information Act, and on our meeting with the Department of Education last month, Atheist Ireland is optimistic that the Minister for Education will soon issue a Circular Letter about the timetabling of religion in ETB schools, that...
The SIPO law was strengthened in 2015, to deal with Youth Defence’s refusal to comply with it, after Youth Defence had published billboard advertisements showing images of young, distraught women and foetuses, and carrying slogans such as ‘Abortion tears her life apart.’ It is now...
The Citizens’ Assembly will this month be considering the manner in which referendums are run. Atheist Ireland has made the following submission, calling for a secular environment in polling stations, and financial limits and accountability for campaigners. 1. Introduction Atheist Ireland is an Irish advocacy...
Despite the recent positive statement by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar about respecting freedom of religion and association, when talking about Scientology, the Irish State purports to legally decide what is and is not a religious group and who may be members of a religion. For example,...
Atheist Ireland welcomes the Oireachtas Committee recommendation to have a referendum to repeal, not replace, the constitutional ban on abortion. It is important that the Government allows us to vote on this question as soon as is practicable. Our policy is that society should address...
Amnesty International Ireland says that the SIPO Commission told Amnesty in 2016 that a €137,000 donation complied with the law, then SIPOC changed its mind about this in 2017. Amnesty says that it has no idea why SIPOC changed its mind. SIPOC says that it...
In a series of emails that the Department of Education tried to hide from Atheist Ireland, the head of Education and Training Boards Ireland recently revealed that he didn’t know whether an important Department policy about religion was in force in ETB schools. He also...
