Forum on Patronage and Pluralism

February 15, 2017 No Comments admin

NCCA report confirms that ERB and Ethics course will not meet human rights standards

The National Council of Curriculum and Assessment has published its long-awaited report regarding the proposed course on Education about Religions, Beliefs and Ethics. The Report vindicates the analysis of Atheist Ireland that any new course on ERB and ethics cannot be implemented in accordance with the Constitution and Human Rights ...

November 29, 2016 No Comments admin

ERB and Ethics: do we now need to opt our children out of this new subject?

The introduction of a new course in Primary Schools about Religions, Beliefs and Ethics has the potential to undermine further the Constitutional and Human Rights of minorities. The legal framework is not in place that would ensure that the course is delivered in accordance with human rights so that the ...

October 24, 2016 No Comments admin

Schools Admission Bill will institutionalise religious discrimination

The proposed new Education (Admissions) to Schools Bill 2016 will not remove religious discrimination from our education system and protect human rights. Despite the requirement that the Admissions policies of schools will be obliged to include a statement that they shall not discriminate on religion, publicly funded National schools can ...

December 26, 2015 No Comments admin

Constitutional Review Group concluded separate secular and religious instruction is not unreasonable or unfair

Atheist Ireland has consistently argued in our lobbying for secular education that religion should not be integrated throughout the primary school curriculum. The Government claims that it is constitutionally obliged to buttress discrimination arising from the tenets of specific religions. But as long as twenty years ago, the Constitution Review ...

November 10, 2015 No Comments admin

The Catholic Church opposes the Forum on Patronage’s recommendation on ERB and Ethics

The Catholic Church is opposed to the Recommendation from the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism on Education About Religions, Beliefs and Ethics (ERB and ethics). Given the legal framework in Ireland, there really is little hope that this Recommendation will ever be realised. The Recommendation from the Forum on Patronage ...

May 14, 2015 No Comments admin

Holy See approves new Irish Religious Education Curriculum for non-religious Irish families

The Republic of Ireland now has approval from the Holy See for a curriculum developed in a publicly funded Teacher Training College, for all children in publicly funded National schools. regardless of their religious or nonreligious beliefs. Saint Patrick’s Teacher Training College has announced this in language reminiscent of the ...

September 23, 2014 No Comments admin

Ireland has no non-denominational schools. Even the nine schools directly run by the state are religious

No non-denominational schools in Irish education system The Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan is the patron of nine state run religious schools. These nine schools are the old Model schools and they are not non-denominational despite being under the patronage of the Minister. The Report from the Forum ...

August 9, 2014 No Comments admin

How Irish law effectively prohibits non-denominational secular schools based on human rights

Irish law bans non-denominational schools - state forces education "religious ethos" control Irish law effectively prohibits non-denominational secular schools based on human rights, despite the Irish Government telling the UN Human Rights Committee last month that there are no obstacles to establishing such schools in Ireland. The Government did outline ...

August 3, 2014 1 Comment admin

Children have a human right to a neutral studying environment, even in denominational schools

Children have right to non-religious schooling - UN Human Rights Committee Last month Ireland appeared before the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva under the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR). Every five years the UN questions Ireland in relation to their human rights obligations under the Covenant. ...

August 3, 2014 3 Comments admin

Educate Together is undermining the duty of the Irish State to provide non-denominational schools

Educate Together multi-denominational schools don't relieve Irish State of UN Human Rights Committee duty to secular education Educate Together has made two statements recently that undermine the duty of the Irish Government to provide secular education though new non-denominational schools, as required by the UN Human Rights Committee. Educate Together is ...