A DECISION by the governing body of UCC to allow stem-cell research was unrelated to the European Union (EU) or to the Lisbon Treaty, Minister of State for Integration Conor Lenihan said yesterday.
"The governors took that position within the framework of the Irish legal system alone," he said.
He was "fully aware of the depth of feeling on this issue, but this is a domestic political matter, not an issue of our relationship with the [European] Union."
He was speaking at a meeting in Dublin yesterday which was organised by the "pro-religion, pro-marriage think tank", the Iona Institute. Independent Senator Rónán Mullen said the decision at UCC had "undoubtedly queered the pitch" on the issue and the Government had contributed to it by not blocking funding for such research elsewhere in the EU.
"No amount of reassurance will cut any ice with thinking people that there is not a connection between Government policy and what UCC is doing," he said.
He criticised "activist judges" in the European courts whose interpretations of law facilitated a secularist agenda.
He also wondered why there had been no meeting of the group set up to promote dialogue between the churches, faith communities, ethical groups and the State since Brian Cowen became Taoiseach.
Describing many who opposed the Lisbon Treaty as "Yes voters trapped in No voters' bodies", he said a constitutional filter was necessary in Ireland where EU directives were concerned, particularly where family rights, schools and education were involved.
Fine Gael spokeswoman on European Affairs Lucinda Creighton agreed that "activist judges at the European Courts of Justice are interpreting the law far too liberally.
They say they have no guidance from the national parliaments, that this only comes from the European Commission. That is something we must aspire to change."
Reiterating her belief that the Lisbon Treaty was "a positive step from an EU and Irish perspective," she said: "I felt very strongly that it put us in a position of greater influence over EU laws."
She also said that "if we wanted to safeguard our position as a country on right to life and family issues, it would have assisted us in doing so."
She continued: "for the first time the Christian values of the EU would have been set out in a constitution" which would also "have allowed for recognition of churches and religious associations for the first time.
"It would've formalised open and regular mandatory dialogue [with faith and ethical-based institutions].
Believing "very strongly" in the right to life, she said that EU social policy was designed to complement the social policies of member states." Overall, she said: "I have concerns, but I do not believe the EU should be vilified."
She was also critical of the media's apparent lack of interest in the social and moral issues in the debate during the recent Lisbon referendum campaign debate. They had been "completely bypassed by the media", she said.
MEP Kathy Sinnott felt an amendment should be introduced to the Constitution to "filter" all EU laws.
