Varadkar to raise abuse concerns with Pope

LEO VARADKAR has said he will express his concerns about the Catholic Church’s involvement in sexual and physical abuse to the Pope when he visits later this month.

The Taoiseach also said he intends to tell Pope Francis that Ireland accepts gay parents.

Commenting on religion, Mr Varadkar also said that he did not like burqas, but had no plans to ban them like other EU countries including Denmark, France and Spain.

“I don’t like it, but I think people are entitled to wear what they want to wear,” he said.

Pope Francis will visit Dublin and Knock on the weekend of August 25 and 26, on the invitation of the World Meeting of Families 2018.

However, it is not yet clear whether he will meet victims of clerical abuse.

Mr Varadkar said that while his meeting with the Pope at Dublin Castle could be short, he will express his concerns about issues such as the Church’s involvement in Mag- dalene laundries. “I’m really glad the Pope is visiting Ireland, the visit is very welcome,” Mr Varadkar said.

“He is the religious leader of a billion people and head of state and I’m pleased he is saying Mass in Phoenix Park and at Knock. You can see the huge interest from the general public. I’m not sure of the exact details my interaction with him is going to be.

“It may be very short but first of all I will want to welcome him to Ireland on behalf of the Irish people.

“If the opportunity arises, I will certainly want to express to him the real concerns that Irish people have on the legacy of the past, in relation to issues such as the Church’s involvement in Magdalene laundries, in mother and baby homes, and sexual and physical abuse, and relay that to him.

“And also our views in society and the Government’s view that families come in all sorts of different forms and that includes families led by samesex parents, and one-parent families as well.”