Madam, – I was amazed to see the two most senior officials of this State attending the funeral of Cardinal Daly while an ex-government minister – Justin Keating – was being buried in Co Kildare.
What protocol dictates that the president and taoiseach should give higher ranking to a clergyman – regardless of seniority within his church – by way of attendance at his funeral, while the funeral of an ex-government minister suffices with representatives on their behalf? Should this State representation not have been the other way round? We have heard a lot recently regarding the deference of state agencies to the Roman Catholic church. It looks like it has not gone away! – Yours, etc,