Clergyman comes under criticism at synod for RUC remark

THE REV William Hoey, the Church of Ireland clergyman who said that the RUC would have "no place to hide" if it continued to prevent Orange marches following controversial routes, came under strong criticism on the final day of the church's General Synod in Dublin.

One speaker called for his expulsion from the Orange Order.

The Rev David Crooks, rector of Taughboyne, Raphoe, said he felt the Church of Ireland should dissociate itself from Mr Hoey's remarks.

"I feel the Orange Order should call upon him to withdraw his remarks and, if necessary, expel him from the order," he said.

"The order should also reaffirm its wholehearted support for the Royal Ulster Constabulary who, like the Garda Siochana in the Republic, are doing a difficult policing job on behalf of the whole community," he added.

Mr Hoey's remarks were, he said, "scandalous, shameful and wicked, particularly as they came from an ordained minister of the gospel. To undermine any police force like that is scandalous, but for it to come from a priest of the church is utterly dreadful."

At the opening of the synod on Tuesday the Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Robin Eames, in his presidential address said that the behaviour of some marchers coming from religious services was a "form of blasphemy".

The Rev John McKegney, rector of St Mark's, Armagh, told the synod that while most Orangemen were good, faithful people, unionists and members of the Orange Order were not being given the leadership to which they were entitled.

He criticised the UUP's deputy leader, Mr John Taylor, for "laying into" the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton on RTE Radio, without giving any credit to Mr Bruton's role and that of his Government in their peace initiatives.

As expected, the synod passed Bill on the remarriage in church of divorced persons, a question which has caused some controversy in the Church of Ireland for a quarter of a century.

The Bill's first reading had been accepted overwhelmingly on Tuesday and yesterday it went through by 222 votes to 14. The representatives of the clergy voted 96-10 in favour while those of the laity voted in favour by 126 to 14.