Statement: Bacik calls for Debate on Relationship Between Church and State

Labour Senator for Dublin University Panel
Wednesday 17th February 2010

BACIK CALLS FOR DEBATE ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE

Speaking on the Order of Business in the Seanad earlier today, Senator Ivana Bacik expressed her concern at the inconclusive outcome of the talks between the Irish Catholic bishops and the Pope in Rome, she said that:

“We have not seen any adequate response from the Irish Catholic Church or from the Vatican demonstrating that its leaders accept responsibility for the appalling abuse that so many children suffered in religious-run and State-funded institutions over so many decades. Now would be an appropriate time for us to debate the relationship between the Church and the State in modern Ireland. We should debate this relationship in the context of the education system, in particular. Not only does the Catholic Church still control 92% of our primary schools, but yesterday the Minister for Education indicated that he would be recognising two new Catholic primary schools – in the teeth of the clear and growing demand from parents for more multi-denominational school places. We should also debate other aspects of this relationship, for example the prayer at the start of each Seanad sitting; and the continued broadcast of the Angelus by our national broadcaster.”

Welcoming the Report of the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, Senator Bacik proposed that in conjunction with the Referendum on children's rights recommended by the Committee, a referendum should be held on the same day to amend Article 41 to replace outdated references within it to the role of women and of mothers, saying:

“Another way in which the influence of the Catholic Church on our laws remains strong is in the wording of Article 41 of the Constitution, which refers to mothers having ‘duties in the home' and to women's ‘life within the home.' Nowhere in the current text is there any reference to fathers. There is clear consensus around the removal of these outdated references to women and mothers in particular, and the need to replace them with a more inclusive recognition of the importance of carers and caring work within the home. We should hold a referendum to amend Article 41 in this way, on the same date as the Children's Rights Referendum – this would bring us further towards the goal of a more inclusive and pluralist Republic.”


ENDS