Lab Party Conference to debate motion on screening of Civil Servants..for Catholicism

[LDF]

According to the Irish Independent The Labour Party will debate a motion at its upcoming National Conference which will call for the screening of senior civil servants who may have to deal with the Catholic Church on issues such as Primary School education. Civil Servants will be screened to ensure their primary loyalty is to Ireland and not the Church ... apparently.

The motion further describes the Church's school admittence policy whereby Catholic children are given priority as "illegal". It isn't.

It seems Labour have learned nothing since Pat Rabbitte told us (back in 1994) that he had information which would "rock the foundations of the state". He didn't. Ruairi Quinn told us in the same year that senior civil servants were also members of secret Catholic Societies. No proof ever emerged.

This motion reminds me of JFK being confronted by a bloke who demanded to know if his loyalties were to America or Rome. That happened in the 1960's.

Make of it what you will. I'd prefer to have our civil servants screened for incompetence.

The Convention on the Constitution may turn out to be much more divisive than previously thought if this motion is anything to go by.

Senior civil servants dealing with church 'should be screened' - National News - Independent.ie

[Seanie Lemass]

Pity they never thought of screening people for membership of or employment by MI5

[crossman]

If this is true, then Labour are about to commit suicide as a national party. Already many catholics feel Lab has an anti catholic agenda. This will copper fasten their view.

[newport2]

Civil Servants will be screened to ensure their primary loyalty is to Ireland and not the Church ... apparently.

As it should be. Pity there's no way of applying country-before-union too. However, I suspect the Labour party would not debate a motion on that.

[newport2]

If this is true, then Labour are about to commit suicide as a national party. Already many catholics feel Lab has an anti catholic agenda. This will copper fasten their view.

Maybe, but do you not agree that those with a conflict of interest should not be making decisions where they have to decide between Church and state? People should not be put in that position

[Analyzer]

If this is the type of irrelevant nonsense that pre-occupies LP TDs' when the country is bankrupt, then it could easily be implied that they are already intellectually bankrupt themselves.

And that is without getting into the nepotism, the Kevin Cardiff saga, "Labour's Way or Frankfurt's way", GimmeMore's eagerness to haves bombs landing on Iran, etc...

[Mr. Bumble]

It is illegal to ask an employee to involuntarily declare their religion. I doubt if that law will change.

[Sister Mercedes]

I'd prefer if we screened them to make sure they're not members of the Labour Party.

[edmundburke]

Do these guys ever learn? Half the country is pissed off with them for reneging on promises about burning bond-holders and now they're determined to annoy every practising Catholic in the country. And for no good reason? Are they not fighting with enough people? For their own sake, I hope they leave well alone on this one.

[redhead101]

It is illegal to ask an employee to involuntarily declare their religion. I doubt if that law will change.

Too right. A party conference cannot change law.