Taoiseach and One in Four to discuss church role

The Taoiseach will discuss his comments on the special relationship between the State and the Catholic Church at a meeting with…

The Taoiseach will discuss his comments on the special relationship between the State and the Catholic Church at a meeting with Colm O'Gorman this afternoon.

Mr O'Gorman is director of One In Four, an organisation that provides support for people who have been sexually abused.

He expressed his amazement at the Taoiseach's comments writing in The Irish Timesyesterday.

Last Thursday, Mr Ahern said the State owed the Catholic Church a debt of gratitude for its role in primary school education. He added the Catholic Church remained important part of Irish civil society and that without it, the State would not have developed as far as it had.

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Mr Ahern reportedly echoed these views this morning in Dublin and said there had been an intentional misinterpretation of his comments by some people.

Mr O'Gorman said the meeting would be a frank examination of the Taoiseach's views and also the issues arising following the publication of the Ferns Report.

"We believe there is a lot that the Government has done right, following the publication of the report, but at this point we certainly wouldn't agree that the issues have been fully dealt with. There are many, many outstanding issues that arise from the report and the public debate that is happening now is important.

"Our suggestions that there are issues in relation to the hierarchical church and to the way in which the institutional Catholic Church handle these issues is in no way disrespectful to the work of individual members of any religious organisation, whatever its particular faith background," he said.

The meeting will take place at Government Buildings at 3.45pm. Senior members of One In Four and Department of Justice officials will also attend.