Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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64. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the wide range of national and international issues he discussed with church leaders at the meeting with them and other ministers. [40712/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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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 and Social Protection.

The agenda for the meeting included the World Meeting of Families 2018 and possible visit by Pope Francis; education issues; the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution; Northern Ireland and International issues (overseas development aid); and justice and social issues. A wide ranging discussion took place on these matters and I was very pleased with the engagement that took place and found the exchange to be valuable.

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