Interfaith & Interstate Dialogue

The first structured talks process between the State and the various faith groups to discuss areas of common concern is to be launched next month.

A Government spokesperson confirmed last week that a provisional date for the talks has been set for mid-February following meetings between civil servants and representatives of religious communities on the timetable and agenda to be pursued.

The draft EU constitution says the union shall maintain an "open, transparent and regular dialogue with various Churches and non-confessional organisations" and the Government first announced plans for a structure for formal dialogue at the end of November 2004. There was some disquiet at the delay in the start of the dialogue process.

The talks will reflect the increasingly diverse range of faith communities in Ireland. The talks will include: the Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran and Moravian churches.

They will also include: the Religious Society of Friends, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Salvation Army, the Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox and Romanian Orthodox Churches, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the Republic of Ireland, the Irish Council of Churches and the Humanist Association of Ireland.

The process will involve an annual plenary meeting with all participants and an annual bilateral meeting with each representative body at which the State would be led by members of the Government and senior officials.

In the Dáil last year Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said while the Constitution gave some Churches 'a structured position' with the State, most of them do not have such a position.

He said a number of Churches wish to set up schools and extend their church-related services and engage with the State in respect of a range of issues. This will not cut across some of the long-established arrangements that have been in place with the Churches for years, chiefly for health and education issues, Mr Ahern said.

The extent of Catholic Church control over primary schools could be raised in talks, covering issues such as the upkeep and maintenance of school buildings. Issues which impinge on the right to freedom of worship are also likely to be discussed.

* Meanwhile, members of the pagan community in Ireland have criticised their exclusion from the first structured talks between the State and the various faith groups to discuss areas of common concern.

A government spokesperson said on Monday that there are 'no plans at the moment' to include pagans or druids in the talks.