Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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23. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Pope Francis during his visit to Ireland in August 2018. [37048/18]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I met with Pope Francis during his visit to Dublin Castle on Saturday 25th August. The meeting provided an opportunity for both of us to discuss a number of issues, though regrettably not in any great depth because of the short duration of the meeting. I welcomed Pope Francis who thanked me for the warm welcome he had received on arrival.

We spoke of the legacy of pain and suffering caused by the failures of the Church and State in Ireland. We discussed that Ireland is still a country with strong faith but that there is still much to be done to bring about justice and truth and healing for victims and survivors.

I thanked the Pope for his statements on climate change, accepting refugees and international development. We also spoke of Irish missionaries, how they continue their work today, and also about the Pope’s home country of Argentina and the role of Irish missionaries there.

I also used the opportunity during my speech later that day to expand on these issues and to express my strong wish that words need to be followed up by actions.

I strongly believe in the separation of Church and State and I believe in the freedom of religion. I hope the visit of Pope Francis will be the opening of a new chapter in the relationship between Ireland and the Catholic Church, one where the church is no longer at the centre of our society but in which it still has an important place.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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24. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on his meetings with His Holiness, Pope Francis; and his views on church-state relations. [37361/18]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I met with Pope Francis during his visit to Dublin Castle on Saturday 25th August. The meeting provided an opportunity for both of us to discuss a number of issues, though regrettably not in any great depth because of the short duration of the meeting. I welcomed Pope Francis who thanked me for the warm welcome he had received on arrival.

We spoke of the legacy of pain and suffering caused by the failures of the Church and State in Ireland. We discussed that Ireland is still a country with strong faith but that there is still much to be done to bring about justice and truth and healing for victims and survivors.

I thanked the Pope for his statements on climate change, accepting refugees and international development. We also spoke of Irish missionaries, how they continue their work today, and also about the Pope’s home country of Argentina and the role of Irish missionaries there.

I also used the opportunity during my speech later that day to expand on these issues and to express my strong wish that words need to be followed up by actions.

I strongly believe in the separation of Church and State and I believe in the freedom of religion. I hope the visit of Pope Francis will be the opening of a new chapter in the relationship between Ireland and the Catholic Church, one where the church is no longer at the centre of our society but in which it still has an important place.