The higher-ups in the Catholic church are meeting today about 200 metres from my office - no, they didn’t come especially because it is my office, I just work in the university that is beside the one that they own.

They are debating what to do about the bishops that protect the child rapists.  This time it is the Bishop of Cloyne in Cork.  The news people are all over the place - Joe Little, TV3 news, etc.

Interestingly, one of the members of our Senate is there too - Senator Ronán Mullen (a man with strong views on mass cards, but I digress).

I thought this was strange.

We generally have separation of church and state, though of course, the politicians would talk with the clergy continuously in set-piece meetings.

What I find unusual is that a member of the senate is actually in the meeting with the bishops.