Churches to be invited to oral hearings on abortion

The All-Party Committee on the Constitution has decided to invite church representatives to attend full oral hearings on abortion. Dates are to be arranged.

The decision yesterday followed reports that the Catholic Church contacted the committee last week to inquire whether it would be invited to make its position known at hearings. It followed the expiry on May 31st of the special status granted the committee to hold hearings in public.

By then the committee had invited and heard the views of medical organisations, the main maternity hospitals and Youth Defence. No one was invited from the Catholic Bishops' Conference, the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church or the Methodist Church, although each had made written submissions.

The committee chairman, Mr Brian Lenihan, said it had always been their intention to consult the churches before a report on the issue was concluded.

The Catholic Church made its submission on November 29th last year. Its receipt was not acknowledged, nor had the committee been in contact with the church before this week on the matter.

At a press briefing to mark the end of the Catholic bishops' summer meeting in Maynooth yesterday, their spokesman, Father Martin Clarke, said the bishops had noted what was said on the matter (by Mr Lenihan) and that they were "not necessarily seeking a public hearing", nor had they sought one.

Father Clarke said last night he had received a phone call from Mr Lenihan later yesterday informing him that the committee had decided it would like to invite the churches to present their views at oral hearings. A format had yet to be worked out, he was told.

He also said that the Bishops' Conference is to increase its annual meetings from the current three a year to four: in March, June, October and December.

A major restructuring of the church's 45 commissions, agencies etc was also announced. These are to be reorganised under four departments, all of which will be based at Maynooth.

The new Department of Social Responsibility and International Affairs will be chaired by Dr Joseph Duffy, Bishop of Clogher.

The Department of Christian Doctrine, Formation and Worship will be chaired by Dr Donal Murray, Bishop of Limerick.

The Department of Christian Life and Family will be chaired by Dr Bill Murphy, Bishop of Kerry, and the Department of Administrative Affairs and Communications will be chaired by Dr Patrick Walsh, Bishop of Down and Connor.

From September 1st, Father Clarke is to become director of the new Catholic Communications Office, also based at Maynooth. He paid tribute to Mr Jim Cantwell who retires as director of the Catholic Press and Information Office at the end of June.