The Iona Institute ~ for Religion and Society
Iona Documents
The Iona Institute's submission on marriage
The Constitutional Convention is to consider the issue of same-sex marriage at next month's meeting. The Iona Institute has made a submission to the Convention, outlining the reasons why the definition of marriage should not be changed.
Iona Institute submission on women in the home
14th February 2013
The case against surrogate motherhood
25th January 2013
Our latest paper examines the status of surrogacy in European law and sets out the reasons why most European countries prohibit the practice. Chief among the reasons for prohibiting surrogacy is that it creates an automatic ambiguity about who the mother of the child really is. Is it the birth mother, the genetic mother or perhaps even the 'social' mother?
Protecting Denominational Education
21st January 2013
Professor Eamonn Conway of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick explains the threat posed to denominational education by proposals made in the Government's Forum on Patronage and Pluralism and the need to protect the ethos of faith schools.
The rights of denominational schools in Irish and international law
4th December 2012
Our latest briefing note illustrates that, contrary to what has been alleged, policies protecting the distinctive ethos of denominational schools are fully consistent with both Irish and international human rights law.
Child Abuse by Family Structure
October 30, 2012
Child Abuse by Family Structure ~ Why we should protect marriage to protect children.
Report by the Iona Institute 2012
The Argument for Preserving Marriage in a nutshell
3rd July
Marriage as a social institution has always been about trying to ensure that as many children as possible are raised by their natural mother and father. Research shows that this produces the best outcomes for children.
The Future of Catholic Primary Schools in a Pluralist Society-Fr Michael Drumm
15th March 2012
Fr Michael Drumm defends the role of Catholic schools in a pluralist society in a talk given at the Iona Institute's conference on denominational education "Denominational schools in a pluralist society".
Ireland's latest report to the UN: The Iona Institute's response
This is the response by The Iona Institute to Ireland’s 3rd periodic report under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It concentrates on Article 10, dealing with the rights of the family. The Iona Institute was invited to respond by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Case for Catholic Schools
8th November 2011
The Government's Forum on the future of primary schools necessitates making the positive case for Catholic schools which we do in this briefing note.
Attitudes Towards the Catholic Church
November 02, 2011
Attitudes Towards the Catholic Church. An Amárach Report for the Iona Institute. October 2012.
Ireland, the United Nations and human rights
4th October
Ireland is to appear before the UN Human Rights Council to discuss our human rights record. But UN bodies often radically misinterpret their own treaties.
David Quinn: Pope Benedict and freedom of religion in the West
9th June 2011
Here is the text of David Quinn’s talk on religious freedom in the West delivered at the Irish College, Rome, on June 3, 2011.
Peter Saunders: Towards a family friendly tax policy
27th May 2011
Why governments should be fairer to married couples.
Speech of John Bruton in defence of religious education
19th April 2011
This is the text of a speech given by John Bruton on 7th April in defence of religious education. It was given as part of a series of Lenten Lectures, hosted jointly by the Catholic, Church of Ireland and Presbyterian parishes of Booterstown, Dublin.
