Politics

4 April 2016

How Atheist Ireland is briefing the UN on religious discrimination

Last week Atheist Ireland told a meeting of United Nations state delegates in Geneva that Ireland’s Constitution is incompatible with our human rights obligations in freedom of religion, blasphemy laws, religious discrimination in schools and religious oaths for politicians and judges. Atheist Ireland attended and...

29 March 2016

Atheist Ireland will brief UN this week on religious discrimination

Atheist Ireland will be in Geneva this week, to brief UN Human Rights Council members, as all UN countries prepare to question Ireland in May about Ireland’s human rights obligations under all UN treaties. This is one of our most important lobbying interventions since we...

27 March 2016

Atheist Ireland declines invitation to State events marking 1916 rising

Atheist Ireland has declined an invitation from the Irish Government to attend today’s State Ceremony at the GPO, and State Reception in Dublin Castle, marking the 100th anniversary of the 1916 rising. We welcome the intention of the Government to be inclusive of people of...

23 February 2016

Which Irish political parties have the most secular policies?

How do the political parties in this Friday’s General Election stand on separation of Church and State, with a particular focus on secular education and blasphemy? Atheist Ireland is not asking people to vote for any particular party or candidate. Atheists and secularists are typically...

19 February 2016

Atheist Ireland to address UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in March

Atheist Ireland has been selected to speak at a pre-session meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in March, as part of the lead-up to the Human Rights Council questioning Ireland about its human rights record in May. During the Pre-session meeting, several...

4 February 2016

New UN report issued today vindicates Atheist Ireland schools policy

Atheist Ireland welcomes the conclusions today from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child that Ireland should significantly increase the availability of non-denominational or multi-denominational schools, eliminate discrimination in school admissions including by amending the Equal Status Act, and ensure accessible options for...

15 January 2016

How the Irish State misled the UN about religious discrimination in schools

The Irish State twice misled the UN yesterday in Geneva about religious discrimination in access to schools. In both cases, Atheist Ireland was there to explain the true position to the UN Committee, to enable them to question Ireland more accurately. Firstly, when answering questions...

13 January 2016

Atheist Ireland in Geneva this week at UN hearing on rights of the child

This Thursday, in Geneva, Atheist Ireland will be advocating for children in Irish schools, as the UN questions Ireland about its human rights record under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is our sixth year raising religious discrimination in Ireland with the...

6 January 2016

RENUA election manifesto shows no understanding of religious discrimination

RENUA, one of Ireland’s new political parties, has launched its general election manifesto. It does not respect the human rights of atheist and secularists. RENUA not only fails to prioritise education reform, but it does not even understand the problem of religious discrimination in Irish...

4 December 2015

New Equal Participation in Schools Bill from Socialist Party/AAA

The Socialist Party/AAA has submitted a new Equal Participation in Schools Bill, which incorporates proposals from Atheist Ireland and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission on bringing about schools equality. The new Bill will propose fundamental changes to three of the four areas of...