How the State allows the Catholic Church to use the NCCA Religious Education course as a vehicle to evangelise
October 7, 2018 No Comments

How the State allows the Catholic Church to use the NCCA Religious Education course as a vehicle to evangelise

The Minister for Education has reversed a Circular Letter issued last February that permitted students to opt out of religion in ETB (State) schools and choose another subject. The reversal was due to the lobbying of the Catholic Church, Religion Teachers, The Association of Trustees of Catholic schools, The ETBI ...

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How ETBs are using word play to deny students an alternative to religion
September 16, 2018 No Comments

How ETBs are using word play to deny students an alternative to religion

ETB Schools and teachers that refuse to implement the directive on religion issued by the Department of Education last February are telling parents that they can’t opt their child out of Religious Education and choose another subject. Their main excuses are to claim that the directive refers only to Religious ...

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As Pope Francis visits Dublin, Jane Donnelly calls for secular schools at People Before Profit public meeting
August 26, 2018 No Comments

As Pope Francis visits Dublin, Jane Donnelly calls for secular schools at People Before Profit public meeting

While Pope Francis was speaking in Croke Park in Dublin, Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland was making the case for a secular education system free from Catholic Church influence. Jane was speaking at a public meeting convened by People Before Profit, about Separation of Church and State. Here is the ...

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What should a Citizens’ Assembly on Religion in Irish schools focus on?
August 2, 2018 No Comments

What should a Citizens’ Assembly on Religion in Irish schools focus on?

The Labour Party has recently proposed that we should have a new Citizens' Assembly to tackle the Constitutional issues surrounding our education system. They have not identified the particular Articles in the Constitution that we would need to look at. Atheist Ireland has consistently argued that the Constitution has failed to protect ...

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Atheist Ireland welcomes part of Schools Admissions Bill and continues our work for secular schools
July 11, 2018 No Comments

Atheist Ireland welcomes part of Schools Admissions Bill and continues our work for secular schools

The Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill has now passed in the Dail. From September the vast majority of schools will no longer be able to discriminate in entry on the grounds of religion. However, minority religious schools can still continue to discriminate as they still have exemptions from equality laws. ...

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Objective Sex Education is being blocked by an ideology that “School is the new Church”
July 10, 2018 No Comments

Objective Sex Education is being blocked by an ideology that “School is the new Church”

In this Republic successive governments have put the rights of religious bodies over the rights of children and their parents. It seems at this stage that nothing is going to change, as this government will not give support to Solidarity’s Objective Sex Education Bill. This is not just about the ...

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Atheist Ireland, Evangelical Alliance, and Ahmadi Muslims welcome part and reject part of Schools Admissions Bill
May 31, 2018 No Comments

Atheist Ireland, Evangelical Alliance, and Ahmadi Muslims welcome part and reject part of Schools Admissions Bill

Atheist Ireland, the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Ireland, welcome part and reject part of the Schools Admissions Bill passed by the Dail yesterday. Despite our different world views, we campaign together for a State-funded secular education system that respects equally everybody’s constitutional and human ...

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Catholic Church again tries to blur distinction between religious education and religious instruction
May 14, 2018 No Comments

Catholic Church again tries to blur distinction between religious education and religious instruction

In a recent article by Emma O’Kelly from RTE, Fr Paul Connell has said that the recent directive to ETB secondary schools, issued by the Department, has mistakenly equated religious education with religious instruction. Fr. Connell, who is the head of the organisation representing religious-run secondary schools, also said that while the directive did ...

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Atheist Ireland response to Mater Dei/DCU appeal to talk about Religious Education
March 14, 2018 No Comments

Atheist Ireland response to Mater Dei/DCU appeal to talk about Religious Education

In an article in the Irish Times on the 11th March Dr. Sandra Cullen, Director of the Mater Dei's Irish Centre for Religious Education at DCU’s Institute of Education, suggests that “It’s time to talk about Religious Education.” Atheist Ireland has written to the Mater Dei/DCU seeking a meeting to ...

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How the State Religious Education course disrespects the rights of atheist and secular families
March 1, 2018 No Comments

How the State Religious Education course disrespects the rights of atheist and secular families

The new Directive from the Department of Education gives practical application to the Constitutional right to opt out of religion. Parents can opt out their children from Religious education/instruction and worship in all publicly funded schools. One of the main aims of the State Religious Education course at second level ...

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