IrelandInternational Religious Freedom Report 2003 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
There was no change in the status of
respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report,
and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free
practice of religion.
The generally amicable relationship
among religions in society contributed to religious freedom.
The U.S. Government discusses
religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall
dialog and policy of promoting human rights.
Section I. Religious
Demography
The country has a total area of
27,136 square miles, and its population was approximately 3.9 million in
2002.
The country is overwhelmingly Roman
Catholic. According to official government statistics collected during the
2002 census, the religious affiliation of the population is 88.4 percent
Roman Catholic, 2.9 percent Church of Ireland (Anglican), 0.52 percent
Presbyterian, 0.25 percent Methodist, 0.49 percent Muslim, and less than
0.1 percent Jewish. Approximately 4 percent of the population are members
of other religions or have no specific religious belief.
There are a rising number of
immigrants and asylum-seekers in Ireland, and they tend to be of a
non-Catholic faith. Muslim and Orthodox Christian communities in
particular continue to grow, especially in Dublin. Immigrants and
noncitizens encounter few difficulties in practicing their faiths. There
are some difficulties for non-Catholics associated with the availability
of facilities and personnel outside of Dublin, such as the inability to
find a mosque in rural areas due to the small numbers of non-Catholics in
those communities.
Of the 3.46 million Roman Catholics
in Ireland, 63 percent attend church once a week, according to the
Catholic Bishops Conference.
Section II. Status of
Freedom of Religion
Legal/Policy
Framework
The Constitution provides for
freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in
practice. The Government at all levels strives to protect this right in
full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private
actors.
The Constitution prohibits promotion
of one religion over another and discrimination on the grounds of religion
or belief, and the Government does not restrict the teaching or practice
of any faith. There is no state religion, and there is no discrimination
against nontraditional religious groups. There is no legal requirement
that religious groups or organizations register with the Government, nor
is there any formal mechanism for government recognition of a religion or
religious group.
While Roman Catholicism is the
clearly dominant religion, it is not favored officially or in practice.
Due to the country's history and tradition as a predominantly Catholic
country and society, the majority of those in political office are
Catholic, and the major Catholic holidays are also national days.
The Government does not require but
does permit religious instruction in public schools. Most primary and
secondary schools are denominational, and their boards of management are
controlled partially by the Catholic Church. Under the terms of the
Constitution, the Department of Education must and does provide equal
funding to schools of different religious denominations (such as an
Islamic school in Dublin). Although religious instruction is an integral
part of the curriculum, parents may exempt their children from such
instruction.
The Employment Equality Act
prohibits discrimination in relation to employment on the basis of nine
discriminatory grounds, including religion. An Equality Authority works
toward continued progress toward the elimination of discrimination and the
promotion of equality in employment. The Equal Status 2000 Act prohibits
discrimination outside of the employment context (such as in education or
provision of goods) based on the same grounds used in the Employment
Equality Act.
The following religious holidays are
considered national holidays: St. Patrick's Day (the country's national
day), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day, and St. Stephen's Day.
These holidays do not negatively impact any religious groups.
Restrictions on Religious
Freedom
Government policy and practice
contributed to the generally free practice of religion.
There were no reports of religious
prisoners or detainees.
Forced Religious
Conversion
There were no reports of forced
religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been
abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to
allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.
Section III. Societal
Attitudes
Relations between various religious
communities are amicable and friction is rare. Various religions,
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and academic institutions have
established activities or projects designed to promote greater mutual
understanding and tolerance among adherents of different religions.
Society largely is homogenous; as a
result, religious differences are not tied to ethnic or political
differences. However, some citizens have political attitudes toward the
conflict in Northern Ireland that are driven by their religious identities
and loyalties. For example, some Catholics support Nationalist and
Republican parties or ideals in the north on the basis of their religious
loyalty.
In 2002 Mary Johnson, a former
member of the Church of Scientology, sued the Church for compensation for
psychiatric injuries she claimed to have suffered as a result of her
membership, which included alleged threats and intimidation by the Church
when she left the organisation. The case was settled for an undisclosed
amount during a court hearing.
Section IV. U.S. Government
Policy
The U.S. Government discusses
religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall
dialog and policy of promoting human rights. The U.S. Embassy maintains
regular contact with all communities, including religious groups and NGOs
that address issues of religious freedom on a regular basis. Released on December 18, 2003 International Religious Freedom Report Home Page |