Secularists in the UK are launching a poster campaign ahead of the Census to encourage non-religious people to register as being of “no religion”. The move comes after 42 million people, almost 72 per cent of the population, chose to identify themselves as Christians during the last Census in 2001. But the British Humanist Association...
Children who spend too long in front of TVs, computers or playing video games are likely to suffer a sharp fall in their ability to show empathy to other people, an expert on child-rearing has warned. Speaking at an Iona Institute event, Dr Aric Sigman, cited a meta-study by the University of Michigan which found...
A new UK study has said that children from broken homes are more likely to suffer abuse than those whose parents remain together. The study, commissioned by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) examined child cruelty over the past 30 years and listed children whose parents separated during their childhood...
A leading Labour politician has called for Lucinda Creighton (pictured) to be sacked as Fine Gael Equality spokesperson after saying that marriage was “primarily about children”. Labour’s equality spokeswoman Kathleen Lynch said the Dublin TD should be removed from her post by Enda Kenny. And the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) added their voice...
Irish pharmacists are obliged to sell the Morning-After-Pill (MAP), which can act as an abortofacient, regardless of their beliefs or they could fall foul of the pharmacists’ Code of Conduct. Last week, the Irish Medicinces Board approved the sale of Norlevo, a new type of MAP, over the counter without the need for a prescription....
Supporters of same-sex marriage have launched an orchestrated hate campaign against a prominent Fine Gael TD in the run up to Friday’s General Election. Lucinda Creighton, who represents Dublin South East, has had her official Facebook page taken over by campaigners who have attacked her for stating her opposition to same-sex marriage even though she...
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has heard arguments from Austria and third parties against donor IVF in an appeal against a ruling of the Court last April. The Court had previously found that Austria’s ban on sperm and egg donation for IVF violated the European Convention on Human Rights....
New reforms announced yesterday by UK Education Secretary, Michael Gove may mean that more children will be put up for adoption instead of being left in council care. Under new guidlines, older children, those from ethnic minorities and groups of siblings are all to be considered for adoption by suitable families of any background, regardless...
Religion is still “ a fundamental part of the identity of very many Irish people”, a senior Fianna Fáil politician has said. In a statement yesterday, Martin Mansergh, Minister of State at Finance, OPW and the Arts, said: “Complete secularisation of Irish society is sought by only a small minority, who have a tendency to...
A body of the Catholic bishops has highlighted the economy, marriage, and the right to life as key issues in Friday’s general election. In a separate statement, Galway’s Bishop Martin Drennan has urged voters to study the position of the various parties regarding the right to life and denominational schools. In a document released yesterday...
