Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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10. To ask the Taoiseach if he has met the religious orders recently. [32476/17]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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11. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Roman Catholic Church leaders on 31 August 2017. [39675/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.

I have not met with religious orders recently. However, like public representatives generally, I meet with church leaders from all faiths informally from time to time in the course of attending official or public events.

On 31 August last, I held a formal meeting under the structured dialogue process with representatives of the Catholic Church, led by Archbishop Eamon Martin. I was accompanied at the meeting by the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation and by the Ministers for Education and Skills, Health, Transport, Tourism and Sport and Employment Affairs & Social Protection.

A wide ranging discussion took place on a range of important national and international issues and I was very pleased with the engagement that took place and found the exchange to be valuable. Churches and faith communities play an important role in Irish life and I think it is very beneficial that Government should engage with them in a structured way.

This was the first in a series of meetings that I will be holding with dialogue partners.