Education

15 June 2017

Don’t be fooled – Community National Schools reflect Catholic teaching

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...

17 May 2017

Ask your TDs today to vote for the Equal Participation in Schools Bill tomorrow

Tomorrow, Thursday 18 May, the Dail will vote on the Equal Participation in Schools Bill that it debated yesterday. Please contact your TDs today and ask them to vote for this. It is proposed by Solidarity and People Before Profit, and it incorporates proposals from...

14 May 2017

Support the Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016

The Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016 will be debated in the Dail next Tuesday night between 8pm and 10pm. If passed this Bill would ensure that all children and their parents have access to an education system with equal respect and dignity and where...

2 May 2017

Department of Education to Issue New Guidelines on Teaching Religion

Atheist Ireland has learned that the Department of Education and Skills is to issue new guidelines on the teaching of religion at post-primary level. This follows an engagement between a parent who is a member of Atheist Ireland and the ETB sector, with regard to...

29 March 2017

Yet another Council of Europe Report calls for end to religious discrimination in Irish schools

Atheist Ireland welcomes that the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, has told the Irish Government that the State is responsible for ending the breaches of human rights of atheist and minority faith pupils and parents in Irish schools. When Commissioner Muiznieks...

22 March 2017

Schools Admissions Process Submission

Submission to Department of Education Public Consultation Process on the role of Denominational Religion In the School Admissions Process On Monday Atheist Ireland sent the following to the Submission to Department of Education Public Consultation Process on the role of Denominational Religion In the School...

8 February 2017

Atheist Ireland asks IHREC to investigate human rights breaches in Community National Schools

Atheist Ireland has sent the following letter to the Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission, asking it to investigate human rights breaches in Community National Schools. RE: ETB / Community National Schools / Section 42 (1) IHREC Act 2014 Dear Irish Human Rights & Equality...

3 February 2017

ETBI/CNS now using new phrase “belief nurturing” to hide reality of faith formation during school day

It has become clear over the last week that the Minister for Education is supporting ETB Community National Schools. We are very concerned about the establishment of Community National Schools at primary level, given the record of ETBs in relation to the teaching religion at...

30 January 2017

Now Minister Bruton wants to pay Catholic Church for Christian ETB schools to use their buildings

The Minister for Education has announced yet another consultation process in relation to religion and education. This time he hopes to pay the Catholic Church rent for school buildings, if they agree to a different Patron body running a small number of schools, while the...

29 January 2017

Template to help you make a short submission to Minister for Education’s consultation process

The Minister for Education, Richard Bruton, has formally launched his four-week consultation process on his plans to address the role of religion in school admissions. Please make a submission, however futile you may feel it to be. Atheist Ireland has prepared the template below for...