Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach if he has had any recent engagement with church leaders; if structures are in place to facilitate Church and State dialogue. [26078/25]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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3. To ask the Taoiseach if he has had discussions with the papal nuncio recently. [26080/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 3 together.

There is a Structured Dialogue Process in place to facilitate engagement between government and those who lead our churches, faith communities and non-confessional bodies in line with Article 17 of the Treaty of Lisbon.

Engagement under this Process may take the form of plenary or bilateral engagement between government and the participating bodies, and may be conducted at Ministerial or official level, as appropriate.

The most recent formal structured dialogue organised by the Department of the Taoiseach took place on 15th April 2021 when I met with the leaders of the all-island Christian Churches including the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church and the Irish Council of Churches. Discussions covered the ongoing contribution to peace building, and the work that Churches undertake on an ongoing basis at community level in Northern Ireland.

In addition to the Structured Dialogue Process, and like public representatives generally, I also meet church leaders informally from time to time in the course of attending official or public events.

I met with His Excellency Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, Titular Archbishop of Illici and Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland on 24th April 2025 to sign the Book of Condolence for His Holiness Pope Francis at the Apostolic Nunciature in Dublin.