Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

Next June Ireland will host the 50th international eucharistic congress, which will involve 25,000 participants from five continents on a daily basis and culminate in a ceremony attended by 80,000 in Croke Park. We have had a long period of reflection in Ireland on church-State relations, particularly between the State and Rome. Many people believe it is now time to move on. It would be helpful if the Taoiseach would consider extending a personal invitation to Pope Benedict to attend this congress, bearing in mind that the former British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, did precisely that in 2010 when he facilitated the Pope's successful visit to Britain.

Yesterday more than 60 Oireachtas Members attended a briefing on this issue in the hotel across the road. I was very impressed by that attendance. I ask the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Seanad, to approach the Taoiseach in this regard. He is a very good man who would like to see something like this happening. The Seanad could take the lead in this. It can only be good for the welfare of all people on this island if the relationship we have had with Rome down through the years continued. I would be delighted if the Taoiseach would take this opportunity to extend that invitation to Pope Benedict.