Rónán Mullen (Independent)

Some in this Chamber will be getting very worried. I think the fact that Oireachtas Members are not required to say the prayer or be present when it is said clinches the issue. That is the reason I supported a more inclusive and equal acknowledgement of both religious tradition and freedom of conscience and we have managed to do that.

It was Senator McAleese who reminded me that so many things associated with Christianity are stitched into our tradition. It was the late great Václav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic and the great dissident, who pointed out at the time of the debate on the inclusion of God in the European Constitution, that it simply made no sense to try to write Christianity out of the equation when every great city had a cathedral that was built to the glory of God. It will take another day to discuss the historical errors of religion and religious leadership, but we should always acknowledge that among the philosophies that have inspired people to greatness down through the centuries, those who have been inspired by a loving God and what that means in terms of how we should treat others, have contributed significantly to the development of our cultures and our civilisation. It is the fact that a large number of people still adhere to the faith that is being reflected in the fact that we continue with a Christian element at the beginning of the proceedings of the House each day.