Conor MacLiam:
1. Will you work to reform the education system so that all children in your constituency can access publicly-funded schools which have no religious ethos?
Yes we support a secular state funded education system available to all students
2. Would you support a referendum to remove religious references from the Constitution?
We support the complete separation of Church and state and would support any amendments which removed religious references from the constitution
3. Do you believe that blasphemy should be a criminal offence?
Absolutely not
4. Would you support legislation to prevent hospitals from having a religious ethos?
We support a secular state funded one tier healthcare system. That said if a church community with their own resources set up a private hospital entirely outside of the state funded system we would not oppose that once it met the standards of care established by the state. We envisage however that if the proper one tier health system we advocate was established that there would be no niche for a religious set up.
5. If elected, would you vote to ensure that religious bodies are treated the same as other organisations under equality and employment legislation?
Yes we oppose the exemptions given to schools and hospitals to discriminate on the basis of ethos
6. Do you believe that religions should have to pay their fair share of tax on income that does not come from charitable activities?
Yes
7. If you wish to provide a brief general statements of your views on the future development of secularisation in Ireland, or to highlight any previous comments you have made on related issues, please do so.
You might check our web site www.socialistparty.net and conduct a search under ‘church’ and you will see our impeccable secular credentials.
Conor MacLiam:
1. Will you work to reform the education system so that all children in your constituency can access publicly-funded schools which have no religious ethos?
Yes we support a secular state funded education system available to all students
2. Would you support a referendum to remove religious references from the Constitution?
We support the complete separation of Church and state and would support any amendments which removed religious references from the constitution
3. Do you believe that blasphemy should be a criminal offence?
Absolutely not
4. Would you support legislation to prevent hospitals from having a religious ethos?
We support a secular state funded one tier healthcare system. That said if a church community with their own resources set up a private hospital entirely outside of the state funded system we would not oppose that once it met the standards of care established by the state. We envisage however that if the proper one tier health system we advocate was established that there would be no niche for a religious set up.
5. If elected, would you vote to ensure that religious bodies are treated the same as other organisations under equality and employment legislation?
Yes we oppose the exemptions given to schools and hospitals to discriminate on the basis of ethos
6. Do you believe that religions should have to pay their fair share of tax on income that does not come from charitable activities?
Yes
7. If you wish to provide a brief general statements of your views on the future development of secularisation in Ireland, or to highlight any previous comments you have made on related issues, please do so.
You might check our web site www.socialistparty.net and conduct a search under ‘church’ and you will see our impeccable secular credentials.
David Murphy:
Religious organisations have a very important place to many people in our society. I am not a very religious person but I recognise the importance these organisations play in many peoples lives. The changes being asked below are sweeping changes that I think could not be done in a short space of time. I would be happy to look at the issues regarding schools and the blasphemy law but nothing else at the moment. As those children coming from non-religious schools grow up there may be more of a mindset among the population to start phasing religion out of our public bodies completely and ultimately from the constitution, but I don’t see it happening in the life of the next government.
Please note, I am not an atheist, I just don’t believe religion should be force upon people. My own child is enrolled in an educate together school as I feel very strongly that religion and morality should be learned at home, not at school.
Kathleen Funchion:
See the statement provided by Sinn Fein on behalf of all its candidates.
John Cassin:
See the statement provided by Sinn Fein on behalf of all its candidates.
Ann Phelan:
See the statement provided by the Labour Party on behalf of all its candidates.
Des Hurley:
See the statement provided by the Labour Party on behalf of all its candidates.
Phil Hogan:
See the statement provided by Fine Gael on behalf of all its candidates.
John Paul Phelan:
See the statement provided by Fine Gael on behalf of all its candidates.
Patrick Deering:
See the statement provided by Fine Gael on behalf of all its candidates.
Mary White
See the statement provided by the Green Party on behalf of all its candidates.
No Response Received From:
John McGuinness
Bobby Aylward
Jennifer Murnane O’Connor
Ramie Leahy
Noel G Walsh
Stephen Kelly
Candidates Not Contacted:
John O Hara
John Dalton
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