Quote Originally Posted by Peter View Post
THis is more about the enduring influence of the catholic church on Irish law and social attitudes Some people would blame the religion for these unreconstructed views.....
...and those people would be absolutely right.

Until very recently, Ireland was in large part a theocracy, with vast swathes of public policy left in the hands of foul, red-faced culchie nonces masquerading as men of god. Needless to say, many of those areas involved the care of young children...with predictable results.