Irish senator calls for a secular constitution at atheist group’s AGM
An Irish Senator has called for the country to adopt a secular constitution. Labour Party Senator Ivana Bacik told the AGM of Atheist Ireland last weekend that there was now an appetite for constitutional reform in Ireland now that it is no longer dominated by Catholicism.
The fundamental rights elements of the Constitution, regarding the role of mothers in the home, rights of the father, protection of children and church involvement in education, should no longer be inspired by religious doctrine, she added.
Ms Bacik, herself an atheist, said there was a good deal of support among members of the Oireachtas (parliament) to separate the church from the state and that, even though many might not publicly admit it, there were a number of atheists among the parliamentary ranks. She said there was still considerable anger about blasphemy legislation introduced by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern last January and that she felt many in Mr Ahern’s Fianna Fáil party were troubled by the measures.
Atheist Ireland has this year decided to campaign for the removal of religious oaths from the courts. It said witnesses could now ask to take a secular oath but that this could cause a jury to take a prejudiced view of them.
The group will also campaign for the removal of religious symbols from schools and hospitals, and for an education system in which children of non-religious people are not indoctrinated in religious teachings in school. It will also oppose the Oireachtas starting each day with a prayer asking God to guide the work of parliamentarians.