Author Archives: Michael Nugent

Atheist Ireland response to the interim report of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Michael Nugent

Ensuring Effective Remedies for an Objective, Critical and Pluralistic Secular Education This is the response from Atheist Ireland to the interim report of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism, submitted on 1 December 2011. The Forum is to send its … Continue reading →

Posted in Forum on Patronage and Pluralism, Lobbying Documents | Leave a comment

Atheist Ireland submission to Department of Education on school enrolment

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Michael Nugent

This is Atheist Ireland’s submission to the Department of Education’s discussion paper on a regulatory framework for school enrolment, submitted to the Department in October 2011. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Discrimination and Human Rights 3. The European Convention 4. The Education … Continue reading →

Posted in Enrolment policies | Leave a comment

Atheist Ireland meets Irish Government Forum on Primary Education Part 2

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Michael Nugent

This is a summary of the questions and answers part of the meeting last Tuesday between Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland, and the Department of Education’s Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. We were … Continue reading →

Posted in Religious Education | 12 Comments

Atheist Ireland meets Irish Government Forum on Primary Education

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Michael Nugent

Yesterday, Tuesday September 6, Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland attended the Department of Education’s Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. We were there to elaborate on, and answer questions about, the written submission that … Continue reading →

Posted in Religious Education | 13 Comments

Atheist Ireland response to European Court ruling on crucifixes in classrooms

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Michael Nugent

The European Court of Human Rights today ruled that Italian State schools may display crucifixes on classroom walls, overturning an earlier judgment to the contrary. Today’s judgment lays down many important points of human rights law in favour of secularism, … Continue reading →

Posted in European Court of Human Rights | Leave a comment

UN to monitor racial and religious discrimination in Irish schools

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Michael Nugent

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination (CERD) will be monitoring Ireland’s record on this issue at meetings from 14 February to 11 March. The CERD sees a link between racial and religious discrimination. In its … Continue reading →

Posted in United Nations Convention on Elimination of Racism | 2 Comments

Father hits out at school over son reciting prayers

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Michael Nugent

From The Sunday Tribune on Sunday 16 January: The father of a five-year-old boy who was “horrified” to find his son was reciting prayers at school, despite having opted out of religious instruction, has hit out at the ongoing influence … Continue reading →

Posted in Media Reports, Religious Education | Leave a comment

Atheist Ireland condemns discrimination against parents – Sunday Tribune

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Michael Nugent

Article by John Downes Published in the Sunday Tribune, 9 Jan 2011 PARENTS who do not wish to have their children attend religious classes in school are routinely being asked to supervise them personally during school hours because schools will … Continue reading →

Posted in Media Reports | 2 Comments

Teach, Don’t Preach: Secular Education is a Human Right

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Michael Nugent

Atheist Ireland is looking for your feedback on this draft document, in which our Education Officer Jane Donnelly argues that secular education is a human right, and that the Irish Government denies that right to its citizens. We will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights Standards, Irish Human Rights Commission, Lobbying Documents, Religious Education | 4 Comments

Third review of Dail debate on Education (Amendment) Bill 2010

Posted on December 10, 2010 by Michael Nugent

This is a review by our Lobbying Officer Conor McGrath of some of the key features of this resumed debate from the perspective of Atheist Ireland, so that we can then go on to think about what sort of briefing we … Continue reading →

Posted in Education (Amendment) Bill 2010, Oireachtas Debates | Leave a comment