The Dail yesterday voted to force all TDs to stand for a Christian prayer every day, asking Christ Our Lord to direct every word and action of theirs, and to force the Ceann Comhairle to read the prayer aloud. Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Labour Party all supported this vote, which breaches the human […]
Atheist Ireland thanks the TDs who spoke in favour of separation of Church and State in the Dail last night, and in support of the equal right of every citizen to freedom of religion or nonreligious belief. While still a minority in the Dail, they reflect the changing mood of the Irish people. The Dail […]
The Irish Government has made the astonishing decision to build a new €300 million National Maternity Hospital, and give ownership of it to a religious order of the Catholic Church. The Vatican recently renewed its Charter for Healthcare Workers, which states that: “Healthcare workers should be given a solid ethico-religious formation, which promotes in them […]
This is my debate on RTE this morning with David Quinn of the Iona Institute, about religion in Ireland today. It covers the census results, the prayer at the start of the Dail day, the Angelus on RTE and the education system. As always, people on all sides will listen to such debates through the […]
The Ceann Comhairle of the Dail, Sean O Fearghail TD, has replied to Atheist Ireland’s letter about the Dail prayer. He has confirmed that the proposal that was scheduled for Tuesday will now instead be put to the house on its return after the Easter recess. He has said that he will refer our correspondence to […]
Should our Parliament start with a Prayer? I debated this with Michael Healy Rae TD with host Matt Cooper on Today FM.
Update: following lobbying from Atheist Ireland and opposition from secular TDs, the Dail business committee decided today to postpone this vote until 2nd May, in order to allow time for debate. Please continue to contact your TDs about this between now and then.The UK and Ireland are the only European parliaments that start their day […]
Update: following lobbying from Atheist Ireland and opposition from secular TDs, the Dail business committee decided today to postpone this vote until 2nd May, in order to allow time for debate. Please continue to contact your TDs about this between now and then. At 2.30 pm this Tuesday, 11 April, the Dail will vote to […]
My wife Anne Holliday died of cancer six years ago today. Here’s the tribute that I wrote to her at the time.
For the first time, the Irish Census results include all religious minorities with thirty or more respondents. There are nearly sixty listed. Here are some of the more interesting facts: More Lapsed Catholics (8,094) than Lapsed Church of Ireland (74) More Jedi Knights (2,050) than Jews (1,929) or Jains (134) More Rastafarians (114) than Pastafarians […]