Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to express the sympathies of the Labour Senators to the family of Emma Mhic Mhathúna and I join colleagues in commending her courage, bravery and humanity. We will stand with all survivors in order to try to obtain justice and to ensure that this never happens again.

I call for a debate with the Minister for Education and Skills on the relationship between church and State. The influence of the Catholic Church on the Government is disturbing. The Minister issued a circular on 19 February stating that there was no longer a necessity for children in second-level State schools to attend religious instruction and that they would be offered alternative subjects. The position in that regard was reversed last week. Freedom of information documents obtained by RTÉ show the level of lobbying done by Catholic Church organisations which seem to have a remarkable influence on the mindset of the Minister for Education and Skills, who has changed his mind and, at the stroke of a pen, decided to place children in second-level State schools who do not wish to attend religious instruction classes at a disadvantage.

The lobbying that goes on with the Government is remarkable. The private school sector brought an influence to bear on the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill and got exactly what it wanted. The alcohol lobby brought its influence to bear on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The landlord and developer class had an influence on today's budget. The renters and homeless were at the bottom of the list when it came to the allocation of moneys in the budget. This at a time when Ireland is gripped by its greatest crisis - social or otherwise. I ask the Leader to facilitate a long-needed debate on the relationship between church and State in the area of education. The Labour Party feels it is beyond time that this matter be discussed by a constitutional convention or a citizens' assembly in order to put a range of questions to the people and to break the link between church and State in the area of education. This should also be done in the area health, but I will concentrate on education today. This change of policy at the behest of well-resourced lobby groups from the Catholic Church raises many questions as to who holds the power when it comes to education. I formally ask that time be made available for a debate on this matter.

I formally second Senator Boyhan's proposal.