Uncategorized Archives | Page 9 of 11

March 23, 2014 1 Comment Jane Donnelly

Why religious education must be neutral and objective, and how the Irish State is ignoring our human rights

Schools & Religious Education must be neutral - UN Human Rights Committee to question Ireland Ireland is due to appear before the UN Human Rights Committee in July this year. The UN have asked Ireland to explain what it is doing to protect minorities in Irish schools and how many ...

March 22, 2014 No Comments Jane Donnelly

How Ireland must comply with its civil rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Ireland's Civil Rights Obligations on Religion in Education and Schools under International Law Atheist Ireland has made the following civil rights written submission to the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on Ireland’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 1. Overview The key priorities and challenges facing Ireland ...

February 20, 2014 3 Comments Jane Donnelly

Home schooling is not a valid option to release the state from its human rights obligations.

Home schooling not solution to Irish education religious discrimination of denominational ethos schools - European Court When secular parents complain about discrimination in National schools they are sometimes met with the response that they can home school their children. The European Court has stated that this is not a valid ...

February 17, 2014 7 Comments Jane Donnelly

Parents, please speak out about religious discrimination and indoctrination in your school.

Parents, please speak out about religious discrimination and indoctrination in your school. Another account of religious discrimination in schools. This time from Northern Ireland in an integrated school. When they speak of integrated schools they mean either Catholic or Protestant and they simply don't include secularists. Atheist Ireland is starting ...

December 2, 2013 No Comments Jane Donnelly

CASE OF KJELDSEN, BUSK MADSEN AND PEDERSEN v. DENMARK – European Court of Human Rights “Religious Instruction” – (Application no. 5095/71; 5920/72; 5926/72) – 17th December 1976.

In this case at the European Court of Human Rights, the court makes clear that the rights of all parents and their children under Article II of Protocol 1 (the right to education) is not confined to having their children exempted from classes offering "religious instruction of a denominational character". ...

November 19, 2013 1 Comment Michael Nugent

Atheist Ireland submission to Equality Authority on Employment Equality Act

Atheist Ireland has sent the following submission to the Equality Authority, regarding a proposed amendment to Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act 1998-2011. This is the Section that allows religious, educational or medical institutions to discriminate against employees or potential employees who do not share the religious values and ...

October 4, 2013 2 Comments Jane Donnelly

How to let Ruairi Quinn know your concerns about inclusive schools.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, is seeking submissions on promoting greater inclusiveness in primary schools. Information on the process can be accessed here http://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Conferences/Patronage-and-Pluralism-in-the-Primary-Sector/Call-for-Submissions-on-the-Recommendations-of-the-Advisory-Group-to-the-Forum-on-Patronage-and-Pluralism-in-the-Primary-Sector.pdf The majority of schools in Ireland are religious and the United Nations Human Rights Committee has raised concern regarding the human rights of ...

September 22, 2013 No Comments Jane Donnelly

Atheist Ireland to develop first Irish course about atheism for primary schools

Atheist Ireland launched an important initiatives at our AGM on Saturday 21 September, in the Harbour Hotel in Galway. We will be working with Educate Together to develop Ireland’s first ever course about atheism for primary schools. The lessons will be based on the Toledo guiding principles and will be ...

September 19, 2013 No Comments Jane Donnelly

The state has a positive obligation to respect the philosophical convictions of secular parents.

In Lautsi v Italy ((App No. 30814/06) 18th March 2011) the European Court found that secularism is a conviction within the meaning of Article 9 (the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion) and Article II of Protocol 1 (the right to education). The Court stated that:- “58. Secondly, ...

September 3, 2013 2 Comments Jane Donnelly

Ruairi Quinn refuses to implement UN Recommendations on the rights of the child.

Yesterday the Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn published a draft Admission to Schools bill to regulate the admission of children to primary and post primary schools. While the proposed measures in the bill are to be welcomed the Minister has done nothing about removing religious discrimination in access to education. ...