How the State Religious Education Course breaches Human and Constitutional Rights
February 23, 2018 No Comments

How the State Religious Education Course breaches Human and Constitutional Rights

This week the Minister for Education, Richard Bruton issued a new Directive to ETB schools and colleges on religion. This new Directive has been a long time coming. Atheist Ireland has been working on this for years as the majority of the complaints we get are from parents and students about ...

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Atheist Ireland, Evangelical Alliance, Ahmadi Muslims welcome opt-out from religion in ETB schools
February 14, 2018 No Comments

Atheist Ireland, Evangelical Alliance, Ahmadi Muslims welcome opt-out from religion in ETB schools

Atheist Ireland, the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Ireland, welcome the report of a proper opt-out from religious instruction in State-run ETB schools, with alternative subjects being offered at the start of the year instead of students being forced to sit at the back of ...

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New case shows that the Irish State directly imposes a Catholic ethos in ETB Schools
August 25, 2017 No Comments

New case shows that the Irish State directly imposes a Catholic ethos in ETB Schools

A recent case at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) vindicates the position of Atheist Ireland in relation to religion in the Education & Training Board (ETB) schools and colleges. We have consistently argued that ETB schools are run as religious schools, and that most of them have a Catholic or ...

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The right to opt out of religion classes is not enough to respect parents’ convictions
August 23, 2017 1 Comment

The right to opt out of religion classes is not enough to respect parents’ convictions

The right to Opt out of Religion in Irish Schools is not enough to ensure respect for the philosophical convictions of Atheist and Secular parents. In Ireland, Atheist and secular parents are second class citizens.  Church and state are pursuing an aim of indoctrination, by not respecting and protecting the ...

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Extra support is needed for Educate Together second level schools
July 14, 2017 No Comments

Extra support is needed for Educate Together second level schools

The Minister of State for Training and Skills, John Halligan, has responded to the Dail questions on School Transport submitted by Deputy Ruth Coppinger. He has reiterated the incredible claim that the terms of the School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis. It is difficult to understand how ...

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No such thing as a little bit of human rights – stop discriminating against 5 year old children
July 5, 2017 No Comments

No such thing as a little bit of human rights – stop discriminating against 5 year old children

In Ireland many children leave their human rights at the school gate. The education system in Ireland does not guarantee and respect the rights of children and their parents. The human right to education is not difficult to understand. It is not rocket science. Atheist Ireland campaigns for an education ...

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Church and State; Undermining the human rights of parents and their children
June 13, 2017 No Comments

Church and State; Undermining the human rights of parents and their children

There are basic human rights principles in relation to the teaching of religion in schools. The human rights Guiding Principle is that religion must be delivered in an objective, critical and pluralistic in order to ensure respect for parents’ religious or philosophical convictions. If the teaching of religion is not ...

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The Irish Education System is unique in the control that the State gives to churches
June 5, 2017 1 Comment

The Irish Education System is unique in the control that the State gives to churches

The Irish Education system is unique in the control that the State gives to churches. Comparing State funding of faith schools in other countries with the Irish education system is misleading. This is because, in the countries that do fund faith schools, most children attend a parallel system of non-denominational ...

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Church and State: Evangelising minorities in Irish schools
June 3, 2017 No Comments

Church and State: Evangelising minorities in Irish schools

We live in a Country where the desire of some people for a religious education for their children takes precedence over the right of other parents not to have their children evangelised into religion while accessing education. Non-religious families are discriminated against on religious grounds, and when most of these ...

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Support the Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016
May 14, 2017 4 Comments

Support the Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016

The Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016 will be debated in the Dail next Tuesday night between 8pm and 10pm. If passed this Bill would ensure that all children and their parents have access to an education system with equal respect and dignity and where their human rights are guaranteed. ...

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