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The Church of Ireland is to complete its divestment from companies that extract fossil fuels by the end of this year. Companies where more than 10 percent of turnover is derived from fossil fuel extraction will be excluded from investments made by the Representative Church Body (RCB). […] The Church of Ireland said through its climate change policy, the RCB seeks to mitigate and lower the climate change impact within its investment portfolios and “has taken several steps in this regard over the past number of years”. This includes collaborative engagement, investments in wind and solar energy and forestry, the...

LEICESTER, United Kingdom - Catholic schools in the Republic of Ireland can no longer give preference to Catholic students. Richard Bruton, the Irish Minister for Education and Skills, made the announcement Oct. 3 on Twitter. Unlike in the United States, the government funds religious schools in Ireland, and about 96 percent of elementary schools in the country are under the patronage of a religious group, and approximately 90 percent of these schools are run by the Catholic Church. In some areas of the country - mostly in and around the capital Dublin - there are more students seeking places in...

LEICESTER, United Kingdom - In the wake of Ireland’s May 25 referendum legalizing abortion in the country, the Irish Labour Party has started a petition seeking a referendum to end religious schools in the country.Unlike in the United States, the government funds religious schools in Ireland, and about 96 percent of elementary schools in the country are under the patronage of a religious group, and approximately 90 percent of these schools are run by the Catholic Church.“It’s time for a national conversation about how we achieve a modern, secular and equality-based education system for the Ireland of today, and what...

A Church of Ireland bishop has supported the introduction of civil marriage for same-sex couples for the first time. The Bishop of Cork, Dr. Paul Colton, said he hoped the church would one day recognize same-sex marriages in religious ceremonies. …

A group of Afghans are staging a sit-in at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. The group of around 30 have been at the Cathedral since earlier this afternoon. It is understood those involved in the protest are failed asylum seekers facing deportation. Advertisement They have said they were planning to go on hunger strike. Gardaí say they are demanding to speak to officials at the Department of Justice.

THE Church of Ireland (Anglican/Episcopalian) is set to sell €5m of shares in Cement Roadstone Holdings (CRH) because of its involvement in the construction of the Israeli “security” wall in the occupied West Bank. The investment committee of the Church of Ireland’s representative church body wrote to the company less than a fortnight ago raising the church’s concerns about the construction and asking for the company’s response. A spokesman for the Church of Ireland confirmed last week that it had been in touch with CRH in relation to the church’s ethical investment policy. The move followed the adoption of a...

A senior Church of Ireland cleric has expressed alarm that same-sex marriages could be introduced in Northern Ireland by the end of the year. Bishop Harold Miller told the Down and Dromore Synod in Moira parish hall yesterday that the Government appeared intent on imposing on Northern Ireland civil partnerships for gay and lesbian couples by December. "These issues will continue to run, not only in the Church, but in the province, as the Government seems determined to introduce a form of civil partnership into Northern Ireland, beginning, so far as I can see, in December," he said. "These will...