Bruton urges clergymen to fight sectarianism

The Fine Gael leader has advocated that all Northern clergymen should withdraw from outside organisations, such as the Orange Order, that are exclusive to one religion or political view in Northern Ireland. He has also suggested that separate education is a luxury that the North cannot afford.

In the course of his contribution to the Dail debate on Northern Ireland, Mr John Bruton said the fundamental cancer of sectarianism had to be tackled in Northern Ireland, just as the fundamental cancer of racism had to be tackled in this State.

"I believe that the Christian churches need to take a much more pro-active role on the issue of sectarianism," Mr Bruton said.

"I am a supporter of denominational education, but in the particular situation of Northern Ireland, I believe that the Christian thing to is to support integrated education".

Children in a divided society who were sent to separate schools would not get to know one another sufficiently well to work in harmony with one another politically as adults.

Advocating that all clergymen should withdraw from outside organisations, Mr Bruton said it was wrong that Protestant clergymen took part in the Orange Order.

It would be equally wrong if Catholic clergymen were to associate themselves too closely with one political party or political aspiration.

The role of the church was to give moral leadership, he continued, based on the universal teachings of Christ and not to associate themselves too closely with "their" community as against the needs of some other community - of believers or of unbelievers, he added.