Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The former Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, attached a lot of value to it. I attended some of the meetings as a Minister and I decided I would continue with the practice when I became Taoiseach. I have no doubt that previous taoisigh, including Mr. Bertie Ahern, saw value in it also. We generally meet in round-table format, with many Ministers around the table and many representatives from the church. The latter are mostly clergymen but also include laity. On some issues, we agree to disagree, such as on the eighth amendment. Obviously, the Catholic Church gave us a very clear position on that. We agreed to disagree on it. The Protestant churches had diverse opinions. Some of them were open to removing the eighth amendment from our Constitution but were not well disposed towards the Government's legislative proposals, for example. Each church will make its own statement on that in due course, if it has not done so already. We have agreed to follow up on a few issues on a bilateral basis. We agreed to follow up on some of the education issues with the faith communities and the Department of Education and Skills. I envisage meeting each of the major faith groups once per year in round-table format, with bilateral discussions happening in the interim at ministerial level.

With regard to the papal visit, the primary focus will be to attend the World Meeting of Families. The Pope will attend the Festival of Families event in Croke Park and will be the chief celebrant at a mass in the Phoenix Park, which will include the World Meeting of Families. The programme will also include those elements that are normal for the visit of a Head of State — for example, a brief engagement with the Taoiseach and the President. In addition, there will be a number of Church-related projects.

As I mentioned, the full programme details outlining where the Pope will visit have not yet been confirmed. The State's involvement, as appropriate regarding an official visit by a Head of State, will be similar to its involvement in previous high-profile visits to Ireland, such as that of Queen Elizabeth of England. In particular, it will support those events where the public will be in attendance in large number, taking on board all the health and safety requirements in addition to the security measures to which such a visit gives rise. The costs associated with the visit will be similar to those of previous official visits by a Head of State. The visit must be seen in terms of its historic nature - the first in 40 years by a pontiff - and in terms of the opportunities it presents as regards announcing Ireland's visibility and international reputation.

With regard to the programme for the papal visit, I am very much aware that this is primarily a pastoral visit. I do not believe it is the role of the Government to tell Pope Francis what he should or should not do, whom he should or should not meet, or what he should or should not visit. We have said, however, that we would like to facilitate, if possible, a visit to Northern Ireland. We suggest it would be appropriate to meet some of the victims and survivors of clerical abuse or abuse by State and Church authorities. In addition, we have expressed our view as a Government that families should be respected and seen in their diversity. There are families of all different shapes and forms, whether they include children being brought up by grandparents, same-sex couples with children, or lone-parent families. We have expressed our view as a State that this is how we see the family. That view has been put across to the Church authorities. Having said that, however, we fully respect the separation between church and state. Religious freedom applies to this also.

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