Ahern to launch talks between State and religious leaders

The first structured talks between the State and religious leaders to discuss areas of common concern will be introduced by Taoiseach…

The first structured talks between the State and religious leaders to discuss areas of common concern will be introduced by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today.

Mr Ahern will address a gathering of representatives of the main Christian churches, as well as Jewish and Muslim leaders and humanists, at a ceremony in Dublin Castle.

At today's preliminary meeting, the Taoiseach will outline to religious leaders his proposals for the working of the initiative, which will be the first such body in the European Union.

The draft EU constitution says the union shall maintain an "open, transparent and regular dialogue with various churches and non-confessional organisations".

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The Government first announced plans for a structure for formal dialogue with the various faiths at the end of November 2004. There was some disquiet at the delay in the start of the dialogue process.

The talks are intended to reflect the increasingly diverse range of faith communities in Ireland.

Other religious bodies at the talks will include the 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 Baha'is of the Republic of Ireland, the Irish Council of Churches and the Humanist Association of Ireland.

In the Dáil last year, Mr Ahern said although the Constitution gave some churches a "structured position" with the State, most of them do not have such a position.