The Catholic Church should be removed from its role in primary education as a matter of urgency, a former general secertary of the Labour Party has said. 

Speaking at the Leviathan political cabaret in Dublin last night, Brendan Halligan, now chairman of the Institute of International and European Affairs, said there should be full seperation of Church and State. 

“No question they should be taken out of primary education as soon as possible. We need proper and thorough complete separation of church and State,” Mr Halligan said. 

He understood that in the past the church had provided a health service where none existed. “We should say thanks and get on with it,” he added. 

The topic under discussion was “A new Constitution: a second republic?” Mr Halligan said he would like to see the Constitution changed, and called on the “political class” to give leadership and take firm decisions on the matter. 

“I’m with Napoleon. He said constitutions should be short, simple and vague.” 

Irish Times columnist Dr Elaine Byrne, adjunct lecturer in the department of political science at Trinity College Dublin, said she was in favour of cautious constitutional reform. However, she stressed the Irish people had to “take ownership” of the issue.