But the bad news for believers, some might feel, is that the adverts will be coming to Ulster bus shelters instead.

The controversial adverts have run on the side of London buses as part of a backlash against Christian adverts on the vehicles.

Spearheaded by the British Humanist Association (BHA), the campaign slogan reads: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

Hannie Stinson, CEO of the BHA, said Northern Ireland would get some funding in the next phase of the campaign.

"We will have some money left over with our second wave of adverts which we intend to use for Northern Ireland," she said.

"However it will not be a bus advertising campaign, it will be for bus shelters, digital screens and billboards."

Her association plans to bring the adverts to Northern Ireland "definitely in the first half of this year".

"I should apologise to Belfast, we intended to cover all the UK in the first wave and tried to get buses there at that time," she said.

"I think atheists and agnostics would quite like to see the advert across Northern Ireland."

The Rev David McIlveen of the Free Presbyterian Church said he was glad that bus drivers in Northern Ireland would not be faced with a dilemma as to whether to abstain from driving a bus with the advert.

Earlier this month bus driver Ron Heather, from Southam-pton in Hampshire refused to drive a bus which carried the advert because it offended his faith.

"These adverts are explicit in their uncertainty about the existence of God," said Mr McIlveen.

"They also imply that Christians don't enjoy life, but many people know that faith gives you satisfaction beyond anything that this world has to offer.

"We aren't offended by these adverts because they are not true but if people want to waste their money on them that is up to them."