Advocacy

4 December 2022

Atheist Ireland asks NCCA to recommend change in law for senior cycle SPHE

Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the NCCA Consultation on the redevelopment of Senior Cycle SPHE. 1. Overview 2. Why legal change is needed 3. Constitutional rights of parents 4. Legal route to course being taught through religious ethos 5. Catholic Church Guidelines...

6 November 2022

Atheist Ireland asks TDs to amend Incitement to Hatred Bill

Atheist Ireland is asking TDs to amend the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 as follows: Please amend the above Bill to: (a) give equal protection to people with religious beliefs, and people with positive nonreligious philosophical convictions including...

6 October 2022

Atheist Ireland submission to UN on combating intolerance based on religion or belief

Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights who is preparing report on combating intolerance against persons based on religion or belief. Contents 1. Background to Atheist Ireland 2. Our recommendations 3. The UN and States should use...

11 September 2022

Religion and Belief in the Charities Amendment Bill

Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands about Religion and Belief in the Charities Amendment Bill. Contents 1. Introduction to Atheist Ireland 2. Our recommendation 3. Amend ‘Religion’ to ‘Religion or...

16 August 2022

Protecting the rights of children from religious discrimination in Irish schools

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child will be questioning Ireland next year. Atheist Ireland, the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Ireland, have made this joint submission to the UN on freedom of religion and belief in...

26 June 2022

Atheist Ireland raises religious discrimination with the UN Human Rights Committee

The United Nations Human Rights Committee is questioning Ireland in July about our human rights record under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, or ICCPR. Atheist Ireland has made the following submission about Freedom of Conscience, Religion, and Belief. You can also read...

24 April 2022

Combating intolerance against persons based on religion or belief

Atheist Ireland has made the following input to a United Nations report about combating intolerance, negative stereotyping, stigmatisation, discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against persons, based on religion or belief, as set forth in UN Resolution 76/157. Contents 1. The need to consistently use...

15 March 2022

The National Maternity Hospital and the Catholic Bishops’ Code of Ethics for Healthcare

Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the Joint Oireachtas Health Committee on Constitutional issues regarding the National Maternity Hospital and the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Code of Ethical Standards for Healthcare. Contents 1. Introduction to Atheist Ireland 2. Article 44.2.5 of the Constitution and...

27 February 2022

New Draft Primary Curriculum must respect rights of atheists as decided by the courts

The NCCA is holding a Public Consultation on the new Draft Primary Curriculum Framework. Atheist Ireland has prepared the following Submission. Contents 1. Introduction 2. The Burke Case and the Campaign case at the Supreme Court 3. The right to respect for our philosophical convictions...

18 February 2022

Protect nonreligious beliefs, say Atheist Ireland and IHREC

The Department of Justice is reviewing the Equal Status Act and the Employment Equality Acts. Atheist Ireland made a Submission which you can find here. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission also made a submission, which you can find here. In the Venice Commission...