Sir, - The controversial article in the Church of Ireland Gazette criticising the relationship of Mr Ahern and his unmarried partner (The Irish Times, December 12th) contained the line: "it is remarkable that the leader of the Government should feel no need to make an apology for this situation" (my italics).
I really think that this is a cry from some members of the Church of Ireland that the Irish State owes them some sort of apology. After all, for many years the Ne Temere decree forced the non-Catholic (Protestant) partners to bring up the children of a mixed marriage as Catholics. Protestants (although enjoying the protection of the 1937 Constitution) were, in effect, discriminated against in having a normal family life.
Sligo Protestants still recalled to me in the 1970s the famous 1930s cause celebre when a Trinity-educated graduate was turned down for the post of librarian for Co Mayo because her "morals were suspect"!
Since the Bishop Casey affair the Irish Catholic bishops have lost their traditional moral authority. It would be unfortunate if, at this point in our history, the Church of Ireland Gazette jumped into this vacuum as the custodian of the State's morals.
It would be better employed ensuring that the State no longer discriminates against Protestants in the public service and in forcing the Taoiseach, not to apologise for his private affairs, but to make a general apology to the Protestant Churches for the discrimination which their members suffered in the early years of the Irish State. - Yours, etc., Bernard O' Grady,
Santana, Sao Paulo, Brazil.