Chai Brady
Carol Nolan TD Pleas from TDs for a return to public worship for Holy Week were shot down in the Dáil last night (Thursday) as the Government insisted that it would not entertain discussion on the issue until Easter Monday, April 5 at the earliest.
Rural Independent deputies Mattie McGrath, Carol Nolan, Michael Collins and Richard O’Donoghue made the appeal, dubbing the current level five ban on the faithful as “anti-Christian” and “fundamentally wrong”.
The TDs also decried the limit on the number of people allowed to attend funerals, which currently stands at just ten people.
It was also pointed out that places of worship in Scotland were legally allowed to reopen after Covid-19 regulations forcing their closure were deemed unlawful on Wednesday. “If it’s against Scottish rights it’s against ours,” Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath said.
Hugely insensitive
Mr McGrath said it is a “hugely sensitive and important issue to thousands and tens of thousands of people: the right to worship”.
“This cabinet will go down in history as the most anti-Christian cabinet in Government of all-time,” he warned.
Laois-Offaly TD Carol Nolan said: “I believe that it is fundamentally wrong to deny the people of Ireland the right to attend Mass or service, or public worship depending on their religion.
“This Government needs to be fair with people and show some compassion…People are finding the pandemic very, very tough and challenging and indeed it is a very dark time for many, so why not give them the solace of attending their churches and the comfort and support that people do get from that,” she asked.
Ms Nolan called on the Government to “show some compassion, particularly coming up to Holy Week”.
Michael Collins, TD for Cork South-West, also called for a return to public worship for Holy Week saying “it’s upsetting for people to think they can’t go inside their own churches in a very careful manner”.
Anti-Church
A huge amount of volunteers and clergy have made a “serious effort” to ensure churches are safe he said, adding it is “time for this Government to sit up and step back and not to be so anti-Church at this time,” he said.
Limerick TD Richard O’Donoghue also called for the coalition to allow people to attend public worship and criticised the limit of ten people at funerals. He said he has 11 people in his family and asked “who would I have to leave at home, God forbid, if something happened in our house?”
In response, Minister of State Anne Rabbitte insisted that Holy Week will need to be celebrated virtually in line with current restrictions.
She said that “based on the current epidemiology situation and the public health restrictions that are in place, it will be necessary to celebrate Easter online at home this year.
“This is for the protection of our friends, our families and our wider communities. The basic public health advice and regulatory measures aimed at blocking the transmission of Covid-19 from person to person remain vital,” she said.
Minister Rabbitte said she was “extremely conscious of the burdens that have been placed on society as a result of the restrictions that have been imposed.
“Many people have been unable to live their lives the way they normally would or participate in the usual rhythms of their community, and I know that every day very many people in Ireland have not been able to go to a local church. It has been particularly difficult during this Lenten period and also again during Holy Week.
“Unfortunately, as the members of the House know, the environment in which Covid spreads most easily is indoors where a group of people are gathered,” the minister claimed.
Penal offence
Meanwhile, the fact a priest was fined for holding public Mass was also brought up, as the Department of Health and the Minister for Health insisted it would not be a penal offence last year. Ms Nolan said the Government seemed to be on “shaky ground” and “unsure of themselves” on the issue.
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told the Dáil in October last year that coronavirus restrictions introduced to help stem the spread of the virus would not make it a penal offence for priests to celebrate public Mass.
However, this newspaper revealed at the weekend that Co. Cavan-based Fr PJ Hughes was fined €500 by gardaí after he left the doors of the church open so parishioners could feel free to attend Mass.
This paper was not able to obtain a clear answer from Government regarding whether the gardaí were interpreting The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A-Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No.10) Regulations 2020, despite multiple attempts and requests from Government spokespersons.