Education

19 February 2015

This photo of Atheist Ireland meeting the Taoiseach is significant for who it does not include

This is part of the Atheist Ireland delegation that met the Taoiseach and Minister for Education last week, in the first formal meeting between an Irish Prime Minister and an atheist advocacy group in the history of the State. The photograph is significant for who...

23 January 2015

Are “Catholic first” Admission Policies unconstitutional? Equality Authority report endorses Atheist Ireland arguments

Atheist Ireland’s ongoing campaign to ensure that publicly funded schools do not discriminate on religious grounds is picking up pace, with our arguments effectively endorsed by both the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission, the two bodies that have recently merged to form...

27 December 2014

Draft General Scheme of Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2013 does not remove religious discrimination in access to schools.

In September 2013 the government published a Draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, as well as Draft Regulations. The proposed Education (Admission to Schools) Bill will not remove religious discrimination in access to schools or provide non discriminatory exemptions that would...

20 December 2014

Atheist Ireland submission to Children’s Rights Alliance on UN Convention on Rights of the Child

Atheist Ireland today sent this submission to the Children’s Rights Alliance on the UN Convention on Rights of the Child. It is part of the process of briefing the UN before the UN questions Ireland about fulfilling its obligations under this Convention. Contents 1. Article...

10 December 2014

Ireland systemically discriminates against atheists, says IHEU Freedom of Thought Report 2014

The International Humanist and Ethical Union has released its Freedom of Thought Report 2014, which is an annual global report on discrimination against humanists, atheists, and the non-religious, and their human rights and legal status. Atheist Ireland contributed information about religious discrimination in Ireland to...

20 November 2014

Atheist Ireland endorses FLAC report on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights launched yesterday

  Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly attended the launch yesterday of the FLAC report on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Ireland. The report will be forwarded to the United Nations as part of Ireland’s questioning about its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic,...

14 November 2014

Atheist Ireland and Children’s Rights Alliance promote right to education without religious discrimination

  Yesterday Michael Nugent represented Atheist Ireland at a consultation meeting of the Irish Children’s Rights Alliance, to kick-start the process of briefing the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child before it questions Ireland about its obligations under the most widely accepted...

3 October 2014

The Catholic Church rejects teaching about religions and beliefs in an objective, critical and pluralistic manner.

In an article in the Irish Times today the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin is quoted as stating that a pluralist Ireland can only happen through “dialogue and respect”. He is also quoted as stating that “Elements in society are ‘allergic’ to mention of...

15 September 2014

Religious crests on schools uniforms are symbols of discrimination

Atheist Ireland welcomes the comments of the Anglican Archbishop of Dublin regarding religious crests on school uniforms. In an article in the Sunday Independent Archbishop Michael Jackson (Anglican Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough) said there should be “scope for negotiation” around the wearing of uniforms...

3 September 2014

Dr Ali Selim of the Islamic Cultural Centre calls for “revolution of inclusivity” in Irish schools and “an upheaval in Irish educational perspectives”

Atheist Ireland welcomes the above comments by Dr Ali Selim and invites the two publicly funded National schools under the patronage of the Islamic Foundation of Ireland to lead the way by including the children of atheists and secularists in their schools. The Islamic Foundation...