Secularism

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...

20 May 2025

When is a non-religious body a religion? When the Irish state says so.

The recent marriage figures that Atheist Ireland obtained from the CSO show that there is a major cultural shift in Irish marriages. One group with a significant increase is those who have spiritualist ceremonies. Spiritualist marriages are defined legally as religious marriages. They are counted...

19 May 2025

Massive culture shift in Irish marriages

Recent years have seen a massive culture shift in Irish marriages. And the pace of three major trends is increasing: Secular marriages up, Christian marriages down, and Spiritualist marriages up. This is yet more evidence that Ireland is no longer a Christian country. These trends...

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...

25 March 2025

Atheist Ireland welcomes bill to amend religious oath that judges must swear

Barry Ward, Fine Gael TD for Dun Laoghaire, has introduced a bill in the Dáil to amend the religious oath that judges must swear before taking up office. Atheist Ireland welcomes this bill. We have been campaigning for this development since our foundation in 2008....

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...

14 January 2025

Most Irish second level schools are Catholic or Interdenominational

The Department of Education recently released new figures on second level schools. Media reports last week incorrectly reported that most students are educated in multi-denominational schools. In fact: The vast majority of students (74%) are educated in denominational or interdenominational schools. The High Court has...

28 November 2024

Political parties reply to Atheist Ireland election questions

Atheist Ireland asked each of the political parties ten questions on secular policies. Based on their responses and party manifestos, the four most secular parties (in order of agreement with most of our questions) are People Before Profit/Solidarity, Social Democrats, Green Party, and Labour Party....

11 November 2024

Atheist Ireland questions for general election candidates 2024

Atheist Ireland is asking the political parties and candidates, who are contesting the General Election on 29th November, to answer these ten questions about secular policies. We will publish the responses to assist you in deciding who to vote for. Please ask your own local...

10 November 2024

How you can help Atheist Ireland’s court case on the right to not attend religion in schools

Atheist Ireland is taking a case to the courts in relation to the education system, and you can help if your family has been directly affected by religious discrimination in schools. Here’s the background. We have campaigned vigorously for years to change the education system....