Ruairí Quinn
Question:5 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, he has to meet the leaders of the major churches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13635/99]
Ceisteanna–Questions. - Meetings with Church Leaders.
I meet church leaders regularly, in informal settings, in churches and from time to time in my office, sometimes on my initiative and sometimes at their request. They have an important role to play in furthering the course of peace, stability and reconciliation. On a recent visit to Armagh I met both Archbishops and also a number of Archbishop Brady's senior diocesan clergy. I and my ministerial colleagues met a number of Presbyterian ministers in Government Buildings for briefing and discussion sessions that lasted several hours and that were organised and co-ordinated by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Woods. I have at least one private appointment to meet members of the clergy over the next few days. I welcome the views of the churches on any matter that may further the welfare of Irish people at home or abroad.
I welcome the Taoiseach's statement. Who was the representative of the Islamic community at his last meeting with church leaders?
I did not have a round table meeting but whenever we have a formal function we invite the Islamic leader. In the past few days I sent invitations to the reconciliation event in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, in July and one has been sent to the Islamic leader. We had some difficulty last year but I think it is resolved. I can get the name the Deputy has requested.
I think I know it. Are these individual meetings with church leaders? Is it the case that the Taoiseach does not meet them collectively? Does he have regular meetings with the Islamic community, which is the fastest growing minority group in our society?
I have not had an individual meeting with the Islamic community. I met members of the community recently but the church representatives were not there.
Is the Taoiseach aware that as a substantial and growing religious community the Islamic group still has problems in relation to civic and spiritual matters, such as the location for marriages?
That has not been brought to my attention but perhaps it is being dealt with by the relevant Minister. When I met members of the community recently they invited me to their church, and I will take up that invitation if I get a suitable opportunity. They did not raise that issue with me.
Will the Taoiseach meet the Christian churches in an organised way to discuss the appropriate celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Christ next year?
Those meetings are ongoing. The Minister of State, Deputy Brennan, and the National Millennium Committee have carried them forward. The committee has met 12 times to date and the churches have been involved. I know from my meeting last week with the committee that it is expecting a proposal from the Christian churches shortly.
Does the Taoiseach agree that while a commemoration should not cause a community to feel excluded, the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Christ has a specific Christian meaning and that it is important, in the commemoration of that event, to have a clearly Christian, not post-Christian, content?
The Christian churches are important. I look forward to finalising the proposal because it is important that any millennium celebrations take due regard of what it is about. Over 20 per cent of the proposals to come before the committee so far are related to the Christian ethos.