Five questions on secular issues for the Irish Presidential candidates

Michael Nugent

Atheist Ireland has written to the seven Presidential candidates asking them five questions about secular issues that are relevant to the position of President, like we did with the political parties and candidates in the last General Election. We will publish the results when we receive them.

Mary Davis is the first candidate to respond.

If you want to help us to establish the other six candidates’ positions on these issues, here is a link to the questions that we have asked them and to the candidates’ postal addresses, email addresses and phone numbers.

Five questions on secular issues for the Irish Presidential candidates

Please contact them today and remind them to respond to the questions as soon as possible, so that we can make an informed decision when we vote for our next President.

mikemac

I think this was left very late, could have been done a few weeks ago
The candidates might ignore it and well, they are all busy

Anyway, where is the response from Mary Davis, I can't find it

Michael Nugent

mikemac wrote: »

I think this was left very late, could have been done a few weeks ago
The candidates might ignore it and well, they are all busy

Anyway, where is the response from Mary Davis, I can't find it

It was done a few weeks ago, and it was followed up with reminders. The campaigns have each told us that they will reply, but only one has done so to date.

In fairness, from the follow-up contacts, I think it is because they are busy and not because they are unwilling to reply.

That is why we are now asking other people to remind them, in order to focus their attention on it.

Ideally we want to publish the responses together but if there is much more of a delay we will publish those which we have received.

MagicMarker

I'd be interested to hear David N's response, he's the only one with his personal email address up and out of all the candidates he's probably the only one who would personally respond to any enquiries made, or at least that's the impression I get.

mikemac

Maybe

I emailed Norris on an entirely different issue and got no reply. Pretty innocent topic, was on the Irish language so hardly controversial

I'm looking forward to the article anyway

Dades

Having just read the questions I can see why most of them have not responded.

Given none of them probably give a rat's ass about a secular agenda, they probably feel they're better off not responding than being honest or coming up with some bull**** that might be published and alienate a larger part of their target voters.

goose2005

Dades wrote: »

Having just read the questions I can see why most of them have not responded.

Given none of them probably give a rat's ass about a secular agenda, they probably feel they're better off not responding than being honest or coming up with some bull**** that might be published and alienate a larger part of their target voters.

So seeking the right to take public office (a right which is denied to atheists by the present religious test) is just the "secular agenda"?

In 17th-century England, "all mayors and officials in municipal corporations had to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion in accordance with the rites of the Church of England. They also had to take the oath of allegiance, the oath of supremacy and non-resistance and declare that the Solemn League and Covenant to be false." This isn't very different.

Dades

goose2005 wrote: »

So seeking the right to take public office (a right which is denied to atheists by the present religious test) is just the "secular agenda"?

Well you've have to wait for the candidates responses to find that out.

FWIW, my view is that the wrong people are being asked the questions. They're standing for the office under the rules as they currently exist. If we want to change those rules, then getting the necessary amendments under way is a matter for the Oireachtas.

In any case, I don't care what the candidates think of those five questions, and their answers won't influence my vote.

Likewise, I'd be pretty sure that Mary McAleese didn't care all that much about those questions, and that doesn't alter the fact that she has been a very good President.

Michael Nugent

Four of the seven Presidential candidates have committed to recognising equally the rights of atheist and agnostic citizens if elected President, in replies to questions from Atheist Ireland. Currently an atheist or agnostic cannot become President as there is a constitutional requirement for the President to swear a religious oath asking God to direct and sustain them.

Mary Davis has said: “As President, I would recognise the rights of all Irish people, including atheists and agnostics… I believe that Article 44 (the religion clause) of the Constitution should be amended to reflect and recognise the right of non-belief. I believe that the best way in which this can be achieved is via constitutional referendum.”

Michael D Higgins has said: “There is to be a constitutional convention in the new year – which I fully support – and it is at this forum that matters such as the (religious) oath (for becoming President) ought to be examined. It is of great importance that the Presidency and all surrounding it ought to be fit for purpose for a modern state with a population comprising a large number of different religious beliefs as well as none.”

Gay Mitchell has said: “I believe that all citizens should have the right to run for president. A constitutional convention is due to review the constitutional text next year. I would suggest you lobby it on the issue. As president, I could not possibly intervene to advocate a specific constitutional change. But I would be comfortable with a change that recognises the rights of believers and non-believers equally by making declarations to God optional.”

David Norris has said: “During my life and political career I have always treated all citizens as equal… While I believe in God, I believe in a total separation between the State and church, and therefore would consider myself secular in this regard… Look at my record and what I said about the prayer on the order of business on the Senate.”

The Martin McGuinness campaign sent an interim reply, and Sean Gallagher and Dana Rosemary Scallon have yet to reply, to the questions asked by Atheist Ireland three weeks ago. If any of these candidates reply before the election takes place, we will update this to include their reply.

Here is a link to the full replies by Mary Davis, Michael D Higgins, Gay Mitchell and David Norris:

Presidential candidates reply to questions on secular issues