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About the Iona Institute

The Iona Institute promotes the place of marriage and religion in society. We defend the continued existence of publicly-funded denominational schools. We also promote freedom of conscience and religion.

The Iona Institute is headed by religious and social affairs commentator, David Quinn.

Featured Issue

The proposed children’s rights referendum

The Government is considering a children’s rights referendum. The key question is whether it will give the State too much power at the expense of parents to decide what is in their children's best interests.

Latest News

Church of Ireland delegation presses Government for conscience clause: report

A delegation from the Church of Ireland is to met Department of Justice officials yesterday to urge the Government to accept a freedom of conscience clause in the Civil Partnership Bill, according to a report in the Sunday Business Post. Under the Bill as currently written, Church organisations may be forced to allow Church properties to be used for same-sex civil union celebrations or face being sued.
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Bishops "surprised" at Minister's statement on Catholic schools

Bishop Leo O'Reilly, the chairman of the Catholic bishops commission on education, has expressed surprise at a speech by Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe last Friday in which he said his department “will shortly be providing an initial list of about 10 urban areas that can be used to test the concept of reducing the number of Catholic schools”.
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The Iona Blog

Faith and politics can and should mix, says Archbishop

Last July, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern, in response to a sermon criticising his Civil Partnership legislation, said when he legislated, he didn't "bring whatever religion I have to the table”. Earlier this month, Archbishop Charles Chaput, of Denver, addressed this topic before the Houston Baptist University. Specifically, he tackled one of the most noteworthy speeches in favour of the extremely secular view taken by Mr Ahern, a 1960 speech made by then Senator John Kennedy during his Presidential campaign.
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More blogs

Recent and Upcoming Events

Mar

Lecture: ‘Reducing teenage pregnancy and sexual activity’

On Thursday, 25th March 2010, 8pm, Professor David Paton will deliver a talk called ‘Reducing teenage pregnancy and sexual activity: What works and what doesn’t'. He is an expert on the subject of teenage pregnancy, and a leading critic of New Labour's policy of promoting contraception among teenagers.

Dec