Changes

===Religion===

===Religion===

The majority of the Irish population describe themselves as [[Roman Catholic]] (86.8%). Atheists and the non-religious account for 4.4% of the population <ref>[http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/Final%20Principal%20Demographic%20Results%202006.pdf ]</ref>while membership of the Church of Ireland runs at about 3%, with most of the rest of the population belonging to other Protestant/Christian denominations. Southern Protestantism had been in decline since independence due to the ''ne temere'' decree (in which the Catholic church required children of mixed Catholic/Protestant marriages to be raised Catholic) <ref>[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saintS/ncd05730.htm]</ref> and emigration. However, it has experienced a revival of late due to immigration and some converts from Catholicism. There is a small Jewish community in Ireland. The Muslim community has grown recently due to immigration. The worship of nature and the pagan gods of ancient Ireland has seen a recent resurgence as well.

The majority of the Irish population describe themselves as [[Roman Catholic]] (86.8%). Atheists and the non-religious account for 4.4% of the population <ref>[http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/Final%20Principal%20Demographic%20Results%202006.pdf ]</ref>while membership of the [[Anglican Communion|Church of Ireland]] runs at about 3%, with most of the rest of the population belonging to other Protestant/Christian denominations. Southern Protestantism had been in decline since independence due to the ''ne temere'' decree (in which the Catholic church required children of mixed Catholic/Protestant marriages to be raised Catholic) <ref>[http://www.catholic-forum.com/saintS/ncd05730.htm]</ref> and emigration. However, it has experienced a revival of late due to immigration and some converts from Catholicism. There is a small Jewish community in Ireland. The Muslim community has grown recently due to immigration. The worship of nature and the pagan gods of ancient Ireland has seen a recent resurgence as well.

<ref>[http://www.cso.ie/statistics/popnclassbyreligionandsex2002.htm]</ref>

<ref>[http://www.cso.ie/statistics/popnclassbyreligionandsex2002.htm]</ref>