Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has said that politicians shouldn’t allow religion to “cloud their judgement”. 
In an interview with the Irish Times, Mr Ahern referred to opposition to the Civil Partnership Bill which he has sponsored.
He said: “I do leave my religion behind me and I genuinely mean that. While we all have our beliefs and our own religions, I don’t think it should cloud our judgements.”
Mr Ahern had previously said that he was “a republican” adding that “from the foundation of the State, there has been a very definite line between issues of church and State and that is exactly my position.”
Speaking on LMFM radio, he continued: “When I legislate, particular as a Government Minister, I don’t bring whatever religion I have to the table.”
Mr Ahern conceded that there were Senators and TDs in Fianna Fáil who would never be reconciled to the Bill, but he again ruled out a conscience clause.
Such a clause, he said, was “absolutely not a runner”. Civil servants, he added “can’t have an a la carte attitude to their job”.
He said that the proposed legislation had led to “a bit of a campaign” against him.
He also accused organisations such as the Irish Farmers Association of being mistaken in their opposition to sections of the Bill, which will allow cohabiting partners the right to apply to the courts for maintenance and property settlement orders.
Partners, he said, would have to “convince the court that you’re entitled to some relief and it’s up to you to prove”.
He claimed that siblings who live together were well protected under the law, both in terms of taxation and succession, and didn’t need to be covered under the proposal.
Mr Ahern’s comments come after a call by a group of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael senators have for a conscience clause to the added to the Civil Partnership Bill. Other senators called on their parties to allow a free vote on the issue.
In a debate on the Bill in the Seanad two weeks ago, Fianna Fáil Senator Labhras O’Murchu said it would make who hold traditional values subject to “a penal code” of imprisonment or loss of employment for refusing to cooperate with same-sex civil unions.
The Government “should tread warily on the individual conscience,” he added.
Other senators who spoke in favour of a conscience clause or a free vote were John Hanafin and Jim Walsh of Fianna Fail, and Fine Gael’s John Paul Phelan, Paul Bradford and Joe O’Reilly.