Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Given that the Minister describes the arrangements that prevail with regard to the diplomatic corps as ceremonial, is he open to the suggestion that it is time to change them?

I wish to take further the point regarding the relationship between the head of a faith and a state. I raised this issue because of the extraordinary view of Cardinal Connell that there is secrecy involved in the relationships among bishops, priests and so on, and they should have their own rules. The Murphy report dealt with the welfare of young children. It dealt with the right of this State to have access to all the information without its having to be brought through any other parallel kind of law. I see serious issues with the relationship between the Minister and the representative of the Vatican. I accept entirely that it is a relationship between states. That relationship is not mediated by the intricacies of canon law. The Murphy report states that this was argued by Cardinal Connell when he made reference to the duties of secrecy between bishops and priests. If there is a relationship between states, there is no value in muddying this. I accept entirely the good faith of the Minister as regards seeking information but the process has to be ended whereby one can move from one type of argument to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to another one regarding the relationship between states. I would have asked the question, irrespective of the Murphy report, as a matter of modernisation.

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