The views of the Archdeacon of Dublin, the Ven Gordon Linney, who criticised politicians and called for an end to corruption, would have general support within the Church of Ireland, a spokesperson has said.
Rev Linney told his congregation in St Paul's Church, Glenageary, Co Dublin, on Sunday night that it was very difficult to look at Dail Eireann and "detect a common mind committed to establishing truth for its own sake".
He said that in politics now, "everything seems to be judged by what is in the interests of the party and there is little room for personal integrity and honesty. That is morally dangerous."
Yesterday a Church of Ireland spokeswoman said that most people within the church would agree generally with Rev Linney's views.
Although he was not speaking on behalf of the church when he gave his sermon, there had not been any adverse reaction to his comments, she said.
Rev Linney said the harsh truth was that there had been "a contagion of corruption in this country fuelled by greed for money and power which has got to be acknowledged and dealt with." But this could happen only if honest people in politics and other areas of life had the moral courage to make it happen.
Politicians were elected by the people to serve the people, he said. "Where they have become indebted to rich and powerful interests they are compromised."
Ordinary people "have been betrayed and their proper interests neglected by the very people elected or appointed to represent them in order to satisfy the wishes of a privileged few with money and connections," he said.
It was worth noting that at a time when vast sums were being given by property developers and others to politicians "that tragic and courageous group of people, the haemophiliacs, were given little or nothing."
The prison authorities plead for resources to improve the lot of wounded and broken people with little effect, he said. Judges appealing for facilities for damaged children received a grudging response. And yet, as a society, we remained unmoved and untouched by such things and the politicians knew it.
