Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Taoiseach for that reply. I remind him of what he said when he first addressed this structured dialogue with churches, faith communities and non-confessional bodies. The Taoiseach spoke specifically about aggressive secularism. Does he consider that kind of comment would have chipped away at the basis of the Republic, taking into account the separation between church and State which is both important and necessary? Did the Taoiseach have a particular motivation in putting all these people into the single category of what he termed "aggressive secularists"? Is it not a fact that everybody can have their opinion? People may not wish to be associated with any particular religion or they may wish to reject all religions. They may wish to live in a secular society.

Is any person involved in this structured debate whom the Taoiseach might call an aggressive secularist? Perhaps he did not have a particular motivation for addressing it in that way in the beginning? Is a programme of meetings tentatively laid out for the future or was there an agreement that a number of meetings should be held per year in which the structured dialogue could take place? I am interested in the Taoiseach's views on these "aggressive secularists". Perhaps many of them exist in the political life also. I invite the Taoiseach to comment.

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