Our Advocacy Work

Our Advocacy Work

25 July 2013

Ask Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore not to swear the religious oath next Monday

Atheist Ireland has today written to Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore, to remind him that next Monday, as a member of the Council of State, he will become the first Irish person to be asked to swear a Constitutional oath in the presence of a god that...

24 July 2013

The Civil Registration Act discriminates on religious grounds and undermines human rights

Jane Donnelly reports on the ongoing efforts by Atheist Ireland, including through Freedom of Information requests, to find out the basis on which decisions are taken in implementing the discriminatory aspects of the Civil Registration Act. We are continuing to pursue this issue, and we...

19 July 2013

Atheist Ireland asks Constitutional Convention to remove blasphemy offence

Atheist Ireland has today made the following submission to the Irish Constitutional Convention, seeking the removal of the offence of blasphemy from the Irish Constitution. 1. Executive summary 1. Atheist Ireland is an advocacy group for atheism, reason and ethical secularism. We are participants in...

30 June 2013

Jane Donnelly and Annie Laurie Gaylor opening EWTS 2013

Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland introduces Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation at the opening of the international conference in Dublin on Empowering Women Through Secularism on 29-30 June 2013.

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21 June 2013

Schedule for next weekend’s international conference in Dublin on Empowering Women Through Secularism

It’s just a week now to Atheist Ireland’s international conference on Empowering Women Through Secularism, in the Alexander Hotel in Dublin on 29-30 June 2013. We have a marvelous speaker line-up, including Dan Barker, Ophelia Benson, Ann Brusseel, Clare Daly, Carlos Diaz, Doctors for Choice,...

5 May 2013

Secular schools and human rights: extract from book chapter by Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly

Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly wrote a chapter on secular education and human rights for the book ‘Towards Mutual Ground – Pluralism, Religious Education and Diversity in Irish Schools’ edited by Gareth Byrne and Patricia Kieran and published last week by Columba Press. Other contributors...

4 May 2013

A response to Dick Spicer’s open letter to Atheist Ireland about secular politics

This is a response by Atheist Ireland chairperson Michael Nugent to Dick Spicer’s open letter to Atheist Ireland last week, followed by documentary evidence that the HAI does in fact promote the political cause of separation of church and state, contrary to the assertions made...

26 April 2013

An open letter to Atheist Ireland by Dick Spicer

Dick Spicer is a longtime activist for humanism and separation of church and state in Ireland. He is also a humanist celebrant, and co-author of ‘The Humanist Philosophy with an Irish Guide to Non-Religious Ceremonies’. Here Dick gives his opinions on the reactions among atheists...

10 April 2013

An open letter to fellow members of the Humanist Association of Ireland by Andrew Devine-Rattigan

Dear fellow members of the Humanist Association of Ireland, I address you all in relation to the Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill that came in to law after being passed by the Dail in December 2012. Many of you may feel that on the face of...

6 April 2013

Has the Humanist Association of Ireland legally denied that it promotes a political cause?

In an email newsletter last night, the Humanist Association of Ireland has announced that the first legal Humanist marriage ceremony will take place today, Saturday 6 April, performed by a HAI celebrant, with Government Minister Joan Burton attending. But the confusing announcement raises the significant...