Education

23 June 2014

Atheist Ireland to brief UN Human Rights Committee about Ireland’s failure to protect rights of Atheists and Secularists

This July Ireland will be examined by the UN Human Rights Committee under the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights. By ratifying this UN Treaty Ireland has guaranteed to protect the Human Rights guaranteed in the Treaty to all within its territory. Atheist Ireland...

1 May 2014

‘Parental Choice’ in education is a euphemism for religious segregation

In a speech yesterday the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said that pluralism is something we should welcome. He said that, “The Catholic children of the Ireland of the future will live in a climate of pluralism and must learn not to fear pluralism but...

14 April 2014

Approach of religious discrimination Bill is undesirable, says Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said that the approach of the current Seanad Bill allowing religious discrimination is undesirable, and may continue to leave the State exposed to a breach of its obligations under the European Employment Equality Directive 2000/78. In a...

21 March 2014

How Ireland must comply with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Atheist Ireland has made the following written submission to the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on Ireland’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 1. Overview The key priorities and challenges facing Ireland in complying with the ICCPR are to comply with Articles...

5 March 2014

Oireachtas Committee calls for integration not segregation in schools, as proposed by Atheist Ireland

The Oireachtas joint Committee on Education has concluded that multiple patronage and ethos as a basis for policy can lead to segregation and inequality in the education system, and that the objectives of admission policy should be equality and integration. This reflects the arguments made...

6 February 2014

Atheist Ireland second letter to Ombudsman for Children about religious discrimination in schools

Atheist Ireland has sent the following letter to the Ombudsman for Children, about the advice that she has given to the Minister for Education on religious discrimination in admission to primary schools. Our first letter to her on this issue is here. Dear Ms Logan,...

31 January 2014

The Louise O’Keeffe judgment could begin the end of state-supported religious discrimination in Irish schools

This week’s European Court judgment in the Louise O’Keeffe case changes everything in the campaign for secular education in Ireland. The State was arguing that it was not responsible for protecting Louise O’Keeffe’s human rights while she was in school, because the State did not...

29 December 2013

Jane Donnelly telling Dail Committee that Irish schools breach human rights law

This is video of Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland addressing the Oireachtas Committee on Education on 11 December about discrimination against secular parents and their children in Irish schools. Opening Statement – Irish schools breach human rights Answering Question – Respecting secularism Summary – Discrimination...

17 December 2013

Children's Ombudsman must help to protect children of secular parents from religious integrated curriculum

Atheist Ireland has sent the following letter to the Ombudsman for Children, about the need to protect the human rights of secular parents and their children from the religious integrated curriculum in denominational Irish primary schools: Dear Ms Logan, We welcome the intent of your...

17 December 2013

Children’s Ombudsman must help to protect children of secular parents from religious integrated curriculum

Atheist Ireland has sent the following letter to the Ombudsman for Children, about the need to protect the human rights of secular parents and their children from the religious integrated curriculum in denominational Irish primary schools: Dear Ms Logan, We welcome the intent of your...