Today our unique secular alliance met Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, to discuss children’s rights in Irish publicly funded national schools. Jane Donnelly told Commissioner Muižnieks that she was proud to speak on behalf of Atheist Ireland, Evangelical Alliance Ireland, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Ireland.

“We are three groups with very different world views,” she said, “but we are agreed on one thing: the Irish State should stop discriminating on the ground of religion, particularly in our schools.” Jane and I also gave the Council of Europe Commissioner a written report that includes perspectives from the three different belief groups.

Afterwards we met with Paul Rowe, the CEO of Educate Together, to discuss the overall issue of how to end religious discrimination in Irish schools. We will also attend a wider meeting on Friday, which Commissioner Muižnieks will be addressing, along with Pastor Nick Park of Evangelical Alliance Ireland, and Imam Ibrahim Noonan of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Ireland.

Irish State fails to protect human rights

At the meeting with Commissioner Muižnieks, Jane explained that the Irish State does not protect the human rights guaranteed under the European Convention.

“If we want our children to attend their only local state-funded school, that school can give preference to Catholics, at both p… read more at source.