Religious congregations in Ireland should be dissolved, according to former Government advisor, Fergus Finlay. Writing in the Irish Examiner, he said religious orders are “nothing more than vehicles for corruption and abuse, and they need to be shut down”.

“Religious orders should have no recognition in law. They should not be allowed to incorporate themselves as companies or as charities. They should not be allowed to be heard in the courts. They should never be allowed to present to the Houses of the Oireachtas or to lobby the government. They should under no circumstances be allowed to collect money from the public”, he wrote.

“They should not be allowed to own property in the name of the order, nor to buy and sell property. They should never, under any circumstances, be allowed to run any entity — school, hospital, or any other institution — that is funded in whole or in part by the State”.