Atheist Ireland will be asking all European and Local Election candidates to sign a Secular Statement, based on the one adopted at the World Atheist Convention in Dublin in 2011. We will publish details of all responses, to enable voters to know which candidates are most and least supportive of freedom of belief and separation of church and state.
Our Cavan Monaghan branch has started that process, with branch chairperson John Hamill telling candidates that the core principle on which the statement is based is that all citizens should be facilitated in practicing their faith to the fullest extent, up until the point where they seek to infringe on the rights and freedoms of others.
Two European Election candidates in the Midlands North West constituency have so far responded. Mark Deaney of the Green Party has signed an adapted version of the statement, and independent candidate Senator Ronan Mullen has refused to sign the statement.
The Northern Standard has today published the article below about these responses.
