Secularism

1 August 2019

A Secular State Protects A Pluralist Society – Part 5 of 5 – Other Issues

In July 2019 Atheist Ireland took part in a meeting of the Dialogue Process between the Government, Churches, and Non-Confessional Organisations in Ireland. This page is part 5 of Atheist Ireland’s policy document submitted to the Irish Government as part of this process. The parts...

24 May 2019

Atheists, Muslims, and Evangelicals protecting freedom of religion and belief in asylum process

Atheist Ireland, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Ireland, and the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland, have made the following joint submission to the Committee on Justice and Equality Consultation on Direct Provision and the International Protection Application Process. 1. Introduction Irish Atheists, Evangelicals and Ahmadiyya Muslims...

22 May 2019

Who should you vote for if you want State-run schools to respect the rights of atheists and secularists?

This Friday, 24th May, we will elect Local Councillors, who will also be members of Education and Training Boards and the Boards of Management of ETB Schools. Three weeks ago, Atheist Ireland wrote to all political parties, asking them to support the right of students...

19 May 2019

New report could give churches more privileged access to lobby EU institutions and Irish Government

The European Humanist Federation and Humanists International have expressed concern that proposals would give more influence to religious groups on European laws, and with national governments, in a dialogue process that Atheist Ireland takes part in. A report by European Parliament Vice President Mairead McGuinness,...

12 April 2019

Cultural Catholics still give cover to the criminal church that runs our schools

We need to end the alliance of convenience between the Catholic Church and cultural Catholics that enables this criminal church to maintain control over most of our State-funded public schools. We need to move towards a secular State-funded education system that treats all children equally...

4 April 2019

Conscientious atheists again excluded from new Irish Council of State

President Michael D Higgins has today appointed seven citizens to the Council of State, which advises the President on various issues. Again, these appointments have excluded conscientious atheists as candidates. This is because, in order to take office as members of the Council of State...

31 March 2019

Jane Donnelly, Armin Navabi, and Freedom From Religion Foundation given Atheist of the Year Awards

Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland was given the Atheist and Feminist of the Year award at the 2019 International Days of Atheism conference in Warsaw, Poland, this weekend. Armin Navabi, founder of Atheist Republic, was named individual Atheist of the Year, and the Freedom From...

28 March 2019

Atheist Ireland calls for stronger regulation of funding of political campaigns

Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the Public Consultation Process on the Establishment of a New Electoral Commission. Once it has been considered, the submission will be published on the website of the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government. Recommendations The SIPO...

15 March 2019

Catholic Bishops show their hypocrisy about freedom of conscience in two new abortion posts

The Catholic Bishops are complaining that applicants for two new medical posts at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin will be required to carry out elective abortions if appointed. The Bishops say that this “totally undermines the whole concept of freedom of conscience which was...

15 January 2019

We should challenge, not respect, Ethiopian religious customs that are unjust to women and LGBT people

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar defended his visit to a male-only Ethiopian Orthodox monastery, while leaving the women members of the Irish delegation outside, by saying it was appropriate to respect the rules and customs of different cultures and religions in their country. The Irish delegation included...