News

20 December 2020

Secular Sunday #469 – Free Speech and hate speech

This week’s Secular Sunday. To avoid missing out, sign up here to receive Secular Sunday by email   Editorial Free Speech and hate speech   The Department of Justice has released a report on its public consultation about hate speech. It tries to strike a...

10 December 2020

UN to again raise secular education and religious oaths with Ireland

The UN Human Rights Committee has raised the Irish education system and religious oaths in its List of Issues under the UN Convention on Civil and Political Rights. They raised the right to freedom of religion and belief in the Irish Education system. Atheist Ireland...

18 November 2020

Charities Act gives privilege to politically active religions and support groups

An organisation can qualify for charitable status in Ireland if its stated purpose is the advancement of religion. This combines with other laws on the funding of political activity to give unjust privilege to politically active religions and their support groups. Meanwhile, weaknesses in the...

16 November 2020

New Atheist Ireland report – Schools are defying new law on admission policies

A new Atheist Ireland report shows that schools are defying a new law on admission policies. Carl O’Brien of the Irish Times has written about this report this morning. Section 62.7(n) of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 requires schools to publish an admission...

Photo of Leinster House
14 November 2020

Religious ethos will sabotage any new sex education curriculum

The NCCA is updating the sex education curriculum, but this will not matter if schools can deliver the content according to their religious ethos. They can do this because of the Education Act 1998. Atheist Ireland has raised this issue with the Oireachtas Education Committee...

1 November 2020

Atheist Ireland Submission on Primary Curriculum

Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the NCCA on the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Constitutional and Human Rights of Atheists 3. The 1999 Primary School Curriculum 4. The Draft Primary Curriculum Framework 5. The Recommendation from the Forum on...

Photo of Leinster House
23 October 2020

Seanad does not pass Bill to allow big-money donations between elections

Atheist Ireland is pleased that the Seanad did not pass a Bill yesterday that would have enabled people and groups other than politicians to raise money for political purposes without the safeguards in the SIPO laws. Several Senators quoted concerns raised by Atheist Ireland. Instead,...

Photo of Leinster House
22 October 2020

Protecting democracy from the undue influence of big money

The Seanad is debating a Bill today that would enable people and groups other than politicians to raise money for political purposes without the safeguards in the SIPO laws. Atheist Ireland has sent the following submission to all Senators, asking them to oppose this Bill...

Photo of Leinster House
4 October 2020

Dail debates Dying with Dignity Bill

The Dail debated the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020 this week. Gino Kenny TD of Solidarity – People Before Profit proposed it as a private members bill. It would only allow for assisted dying in cases where a person is of sound mind and is...

20 September 2020

The moral case for assisted dying

Martin O’Reilly of Atheist Ireland argues that assisted dying is a moral good. Linking to relevant sources, he examines religious objections, passive and active assisted dying, safeguards against pressure, the slippery slope argument, whether palliative care is enough, and the increased quality of life that...