Atheist Ireland has examined, through a Freedom of Information request to Dundalk Institute of Technology, how decisions around the direct funding of Churches from public monies are made. Article 44.2.2 of the Irish Constitution says that “the State guarantees not to endow any religion.” This...
The State has informed the United Nations that Irish legislation provides that, in exceptional cases, a school can refuse to admit a student who is not of the religion of the school, provided that it can prove that this refusal is essential to maintain the...
Despite claims from the No side, teaching practices will not change in Irish schools if there is a Yes vote in the marriage referendum. There are many Catholic parents who support marriage equality, and their children, along with the children of secular parents and religious...
The Republic of Ireland now has approval from the Holy See for a curriculum developed in a publicly funded Teacher Training College, for all children in publicly funded National schools. regardless of their religious or nonreligious beliefs. Saint Patrick’s Teacher Training College has announced this...
Aron Ra, Texas State Director of American Atheists, will be speaking in Dublin next Tuesday evening at a public meeting organised by Atheist Ireland, about how religion harms education. It will be Aron’s first talk for Atheist Ireland since our successful World Atheist Convention in...
With all the talk about ‘conscience clauses’ and the same-sex marriage referendum we would like to remind Church and State that there is a ‘conscience clause’ in our Constitution regarding education that they ignore all the time. Article 42.3.1 of the Irish Constitution states that:-...
Atheist Ireland today sent this submission to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which will be examining Ireland in June about its human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Atheist Ireland has already sent a submission...
Atheist Ireland recently met with the NCCA and presented them with a Document named; Respecting the philosophical convictions of atheist/secular families in the education system. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment are developing a course on Education about Religions and Beliefs and Ethics (ERB)....
This week Jane Donnelly and Michael Nugent met with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to discuss our concerns about the proposed Education about Religions and Beliefs (ERB) and Ethics course for Primary Schools in Ireland. The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism recommended...
The Catholic Bishops Schools Partnership today released a document titled ‘Catholic Primary Schools in a Changing Ireland – Sharing good Practice on Inclusion of All Pupils’. Bishops website report RTE news report These proposals claim to be inclusive, but they are only inclusive of families...