Politics

11 May 2026

WRC ruling on yoga class ban undermines the right to freedom of expression about religion

The Workplace Relations Commission has rejected a challenge by a former seminarian against a yoga studio. The studio banned him for life after he responded to a question about Christmas by saying it was hocus pocus that celebrated the rape and abandonment of a child....

21 April 2026

Atheist Ireland opening speech to Oireachtas committee on not attending religious instruction

Atheist Ireland appeared at 6:30 pm today before the Oireachtas Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen to discuss our Petition ‘To give practical application to the right not to attend religious instruction in school’. It is being live-streamed on the Oireachtas website. This is...

21 April 2026

Atheist Ireland to appear before Oireachtas committee today to discuss religion in schools

Atheist Ireland is appearing at 6:30 pm today before the Oireachtas Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen to discuss our Petition ‘To give practical application to the right not to attend religious instruction in school’. It will be live-streamed on the Oireachtas website at...

7 April 2026

Primary school survey is a misleading distraction

The Department of Education survey that shows 40% of parents want multi-denominational schools is a distraction. Our human right to an objective education should not be subject to the preferences of our neighbours. Also, the survey was misleading, only giving parents an option to choose...

9 December 2025

Department’s survey has no option for non-religious primary schools, only multi-denominational ones

Next Tuesday, 16 December, is the closing date for parents to respond to the Department of Education’s misleading survey on the future of primary schools. If you are thinking about responding, please be aware of the following facts. The survey misleadingly implies that you are...

25 November 2025

Winter lights or Christmas lights?

Some Christians including Peadar Tóibín TD want Dublin City Council’s Winter Lights to be renamed Christmas Lights. This is not about people changing a religious festival to a secular one. It is about some Christians trying to force a religious meaning onto a secular display...

11 November 2025

Irish presidency: still no conscientious atheists allowed

Today, Ireland swears in yet another president in a ceremony that prevents a conscientious atheist from honestly taking office. Why? Because the Constitution requires them to swear a religious oath that begins “In the presence of Almighty God” and ends “May God direct and sustain...

19 June 2025

How Irish schools do not respect freedom of conscience, religion, and belief

Atheist Ireland has sent the following submission to the Oireachtas Education Committee on the need for freedom of conscience, religion, and belief in Irish schools Executive Summary This submission addresses the right to freedom of conscience, religion, and belief in the Irish education system. It...

9 May 2025

Oireachtas must oversee Constitutional condition for state aid to schools re religious instruction

Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the newly established Oireachtas Committee on Public Accounts. Oversight of the Constitutional Condition for State Aid to Schools 1. Summary 2. The Constitutional Condition for State Aid 3. Legislative Responsibility under Article 15 4. Absence of Statutory...

17 February 2025

Atheist Ireland writes to new Minister for Education about non-denominational schools

Atheist Ireland has written the following letter to Helen McEntee TD, the new Minister for Education, about the commitment to non-denominational education in Programme for Government. Dear Minister McEntee, Congratulations on your new role and we wish you well. You are the ninth Minister for...