That seems to be the message of Labour leader, Brendan Howlin, who took Archbishop Eamon Martin to task for comments he made at the Kennedy Summer School last month.

Mr Howlin attributed to Dr Martin the view that Catholic politicians had a responsibility to support laws which uphold the dignity of every human person, and that they should not compartmentalise their lives into separate spiritual and secular spheres.

Mr Howlin, however, said that as Ireland becomes more pluralist and multicultural, “the idea of Catholic politicians could become deeply problematic, especially for growing minority groups”.

“Is it not time we left those types of characterisations in the past? In a republic, we cherish the right of everybody to adhere to and express the religion of their choice, but we should not revert to a time when clerics instructed politicians, as used to be the case in both this jurisdiction and the North,” he said.

In response, the Taoiseach cited St. John Henry Newman that when he learned about the new doctrine of papal infallibility, he said he would drink to the Pope, but would first drink to his own conscience.

“What St. John Henry Newman was encapsulating in that was the idea in the Catholic faith that allows people to act according to their conscience, even Catholic politicians,” he said.