Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----were it not for the Catholic Church, hundreds of thousands of people would not have got an education. It is easy to be cavalier in dismissing the role of the Catholic Church and, in a modern society that espouses equality, saying it should be the role of the State. I take Senator Bacik's point on board but we must remember the State is run by those who have a mandate from the people. That mandate has to be respected.