Irish bishops discuss bioethical issues with prime minister

Published: 2003-10-30

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- Irish bishops met with Prime Minister Bertie Ahern to discuss bioethical issues, including cloning, euthanasia and European proposals on embryonic stem-cell research. The Oct. 29 meeting was a first between Ahern and a delegation of Catholic bishops. The delegation included Cardinal Desmond Connell of Dublin, Bishops Joseph Duffy of Clogher and Patrick Walsh of Down and Connor and several priests. Afterward, Father Martin Clarke, director of the Catholic Communications Office, said Ahern, like the bishops, opposed cloning and euthanasia. He said Ahern also was "broadly sympathetic" toward calls for a reference to God in the European Union's new constitution. The priest said much of the meeting was spent discussing a European Union proposal to provide several hundred thousand euros to fund research on stem cells taken from human embryos created in test tubes before 2002. The European Union Council of Ministers is due to vote on the proposal in November.

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