A spokesman for Ireland’s Catholic Bishops has reacted with surprise to apparently off-hand comments by Taoiseach Enda Kenny regarding the Church’s continuing role in solemnising marriages on behalf of the State.

Following a statement to RTÉ in which Mr Kenny said it was a matter for the Church alone to decide if it would continue its practice of registering marriages on behalf of State registrars should the same-sex marriage referendum pass, Martin Long of the Catholic Communications Office said the issue was one of importance to the State too. Mr Long pointed out that currently two-thirds of solemnisers are Catholic priests. In addition, over 70% of marriages in the Republic of Ireland currently follow the Christian sacrament, with the Church and civil elements taking place within the same ceremony.

That is a reality the Government cannot ignore as the May 22 referendum draws closer and the Irish Church has already signalled its doubts about continuing with the role it fulfils on behalf of the State in requiring newlywed couples to sign the civil register at the end of church ceremonies.

Though the matter is set to be discussed at a meeting of the Irish Bishops’ Committee on Marriage and Family later this month, Mr Long said any final decision could only come from a full meeting of the Bishops’ Conference. This will not happen until June, some weeks after the referendum.