Secular Laws

Atheist Ireland campaigns for secular laws, that treat everybody equally regardless of religion or belief, and do not favour or discriminate against either religious people or atheists.

In particular, we campaign to:

Amend the Employment Equality Act 1998 and Equal Status Act 2000, which allow churches, schools and hospitals and training colleges to discriminate on the grounds of religion.
Amend the Civil Registration Act 2004, so that religious and nonreligious bodies are treated equally when nominating solemnizes. Currently the law explicitly discriminates in favor of religions against humanists, and in favor of humanists against atheists.
Amend the Electoral Act to ensure that churches are subject to political funding regulations on the same basis as secular advocacy groups. Currently religions can accept donations and use them for political purposes when secular advocacy groups can not.

Amend the Charities Act 2009, which includes the advancement of religion but not of atheism as a charitable purpose; and presumes that a gift for the advancement of religion is of public benefit.
Amend the Juries Act 1976, which exempts priests and religious ministers from jury duty.

We also want our parliamentarians to examine all existing and future laws to ensure that there is one law for all, based on rights and compassion and not religious doctrine.

Atheist Ireland campaigns for secular laws, that treat everybody equally regardless of religion or belief, and do not favour or discriminate against either religious people or atheists.