The Humanist Association of Ireland (HAI) is the latest group to complain about delays in setting up a proposed forum for dialogue between the State and representatives of people of faith and no faith in Ireland.
In a statement, HAI spokesman and director Brendan Sheeran said the group was "disappointed at the recent announcement of further delay in the proposed Government dialogue with religious and secular organisations".
He continued that it wished "to urgently avail of the proposed dialogue process to highlight the lack of equity in the way non-religious citizens are treated in the Constitution and in areas such as education and health."
The creation of the forum for dialogue was announced by the Government in July 2005, in line with provisions in the draft EU constitution for formal dialogue structures between member state governments and the faiths/ethical groupings operating within them.
Lack of progress since then was highlighted last August in an address at the Humbert School in Killala Church of Ireland cathedral by the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin.
A spokesman for the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, said the church had been contacted soon after the July 2005 announcement, when it welcomed the Government proposals, but that there had been no developments since.
