In a bizarre juxtaposition, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has backed calls for major changes to the Church’s doctrinal and disciplinary stances even as he cautioned that Church and State should be separate. He was responding to the row that erupted between his Culture Minister, Josepha Madigan, and the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin. Minister Madigan, the leader of Fine Gael’s campaign for repeal of the 8th, had helped conduct a prayer service in lieu of mass last Saturday when a priest in her local parish was a no-show, and then she followed up with media appearances calling for the introduction of women priests. She was rebuked the following day by the Archbishop who said her pushing of an agenda was inappropriate. Mr Varadkar entered the row yesterday by telling journalists at the National Economic Dialogue in Dublin Castle that he believed in equality in all things and in equality in the workplace. He added that this would include allowing priests to marry and permitting women to become priests. However the Taoiseach also said he strongly believed in the separation of church and State. “This [women priests] is not something the Government is going to be legislating for.”