The Constitution and religious oaths

Time for change

Sir, – Brian Whiteside is correct that no Irish citizen who aspires to high office should be either forced to take a religious oath they don’t believe in or excluded from holding that office (“Why is a religious oath required for people taking high office?”, Opinion & Analysis, May 22nd).

Later this year, we will be asked if we want to change our Constitution to, among other things, include gender equality as a core principle of our country. Surely, as part of any debate on equality, we should also be given an opportunity to amend the article in our Constitution that forces some people to lie or exclude themselves from high office? Certainly, this issue should be addressed before the next presidential election in 2025 to prevent any other non-religious person being potentially forced to lie to assume the highest office in the land. – Yours, etc,

SÉAMUS WHITE,

Stoneybatter,

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Dublin 7.