Atheist Ireland

Atheist Ireland

22 January 2021

Religious oaths in the Irish Constitution

In Ireland atheists, humanists and the non-religious cannot take high office because of the requirement to take a religious oath in our Constitution. Atheist Ireland runs a ‘One Oath For All’ campaign, to enable conscientious atheists to hold the office of President, Judge, Taoiseach, or...

11 January 2021

Atheist Ireland letter to BAI about ‘blasphemous’ RTE comedy sketch

Atheist Ireland has sent the following letter to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Dear BAI, We understand that RTE is reporting itself to the BAI for breaching your Code of Programme Standards regarding a comedy sketch broadcast on its New Years Eve Countdown show. While...

10 January 2021

Forcing respect for 160+ beliefs is impractical, and undermines freedom of expression

The right to freedom of conscience, religion and belief is one of the foundations of a democratic society. We have listed in this article over 150 religions that are recognised in Ireland, and ten nonreligious philosophical convictions that Human Rights law gives the same status...

4 January 2021

There is no right to not be offended, and it’s okay to challenge not respect beliefs

RTE, the National Broadcaster, has apologised for any offence that may have been caused by a Waterford Whispers News sketch on New Year’s Eve Countdown show. The Catholic Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin had complained that the item was offensive and blasphemous. Atheist Ireland has...

3 January 2021

Irish constitution gives parents more rights than human rights laws do

Irish parents have more rights in relation to the education of their children under the Irish Constitution than they have under human rights law. The United Nations and the Council of Europe constantly raise the issue of the failure of the Irish State to protect...

1 January 2021

Archbishop wants ‘blasphemous’ item removed

Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin has called on RTE to immediately remove a television clip which he says it is offensive, outrageous, and blasphemous. He was complaining about RTE’s New Year’s Eve Countdown Show, which included a mock news review by Waterford Whispers News. The mock...

29 December 2020

Schools and teachers should not ask students about their beliefs

Irish schools and teachers regularly breach the right to freedom of religion and belief of students and families. Teachers are not trained to understand the practical application of the right to freedom of religion and belief, or the positive and negative aspects of it. Freedom...

10 December 2020

UN to again raise secular education and religious oaths with Ireland

The UN Human Rights Committee has raised the Irish education system and religious oaths in its List of Issues under the UN Convention on Civil and Political Rights. They raised the right to freedom of religion and belief in the Irish Education system. Atheist Ireland...

18 November 2020

Charities Act gives privilege to politically active religions and support groups

An organisation can qualify for charitable status in Ireland if its stated purpose is the advancement of religion. This combines with other laws on the funding of political activity to give unjust privilege to politically active religions and their support groups. Meanwhile, weaknesses in the...

16 November 2020

New Atheist Ireland report – Schools are defying new law on admission policies

A new Atheist Ireland report shows that schools are defying a new law on admission policies. Carl O’Brien of the Irish Times has written about this report this morning. Section 62.7(n) of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 requires schools to publish an admission...