Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The proposal is baffling. A debate took place in the Dáil reform committee about a Dáil prayer in the national Parliament and many people objected to it. Now there will be a requirement - a compulsion and obligation - for all Deputies present to stand. It takes away the voluntary nature of it. There will be potential disciplinary action if a Deputy does not comply. At a time when the rest of society is demanding an absolute separation of church and State, the Dáil decides to embed an archaic practice by proposing this motion.

Religion is a private matter. If Deputies wish to pray or reflect, I am in favour of a room being set up where people can go, if that is what they want to do. I have no problem with that. It is a private matter and this is a civic, secular space. Society is now much more diverse. The last census showed an increase of 78% in five years, to almost 500,000, in the number of those professing no religion and 75% said they are Catholic. In my constituency, there is a huge number of people of minority religions who would find it offensive if they were elected as Deputies and had to partake in a prayer of another religion. I spoke at a Muslim conference about this on Saturday. What message does saying the church and the Dáil are linked together send to those who are advocating a united Ireland right now? This motion compels the Ceann Comhairle, who is elected, to say a prayer. Can we ever have a Ceann Comhairle who is not a Christian or who is atheist? It is of dubious legality in terms of freedom of conscience. I debated with a Deputy earlier who said he did not see any problem with it and it is a Catholic country. Does the House remember those words were used to Savita in the hospital? It is not a Catholic country. Nobody here saw any problem with the national maternity hospital being handed over to a religious order but the public sees a huge problem with it. The Dáil is behind public opinion. What will the Ceann Comhairle do if Deputies do not comply? Will they be thrown out of the Dáil or are we to forever wait outside the door like second class Deputies until the prayer is finished? It is time to separate church and State.

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