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| Donal McKeown says DUP views seen as 'nakedly sectarian' | Donal McKeown says DUP views seen as 'nakedly sectarian' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Catholic auxiliary bishop of Down and Connor has criticised the DUP over its views on integrated education. | The Catholic auxiliary bishop of Down and Connor has criticised the DUP over its views on integrated education. |
| He said the party's statements on the issue were seen by the Catholic community as "nakedly sectarian". | He said the party's statements on the issue were seen by the Catholic community as "nakedly sectarian". |
| Bishop Donal McKeown said DUP leader/First Minister Peter Robinson had implied the Catholic Church was blocking moves towards integrated education. | Bishop Donal McKeown said DUP leader/First Minister Peter Robinson had implied the Catholic Church was blocking moves towards integrated education. |
| "He was quite clear about it," Bishop McKeown said. | "He was quite clear about it," Bishop McKeown said. |
| He claimed Mr Robinson had suggested that "certain vested interests, by implication the Catholic Church, were the ones who were blocking movements towards that (integrated education)". | He claimed Mr Robinson had suggested that "certain vested interests, by implication the Catholic Church, were the ones who were blocking movements towards that (integrated education)". |
| Party interest | |
| "That certainly was perceived in the Catholic community as nakedly sectarian - talking about reconciliation, but ultimately saying the fault is with the Catholics, they really are the ones who are to blame and, specifically, the Catholic Church," the bishop added. | "That certainly was perceived in the Catholic community as nakedly sectarian - talking about reconciliation, but ultimately saying the fault is with the Catholics, they really are the ones who are to blame and, specifically, the Catholic Church," the bishop added. |
| "I suppose at the present time, kicking the Catholic Church really won't lose you too many votes in many places." | "I suppose at the present time, kicking the Catholic Church really won't lose you too many votes in many places." |
| The bishop made his comments during a discussion on BBC Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence. | The bishop made his comments during a discussion on BBC Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence. |
| He was also critical of both the DUP and Sinn Féin over plans for a shared future. | He was also critical of both the DUP and Sinn Féin over plans for a shared future. |
| He claimed it was in the interests of both parties to maintain division. | He claimed it was in the interests of both parties to maintain division. |
| Bishop McKeown is not the first senior clergyman in the Catholic Church to criticise Mr Robinson's stance on integrated education. | |
| State funding | |
| In 2010, the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, said the DUP leader had created "distrust and suspicion" by describing the Northern Ireland education system as a "benign form of apartheid". | |
| In a major speech in 2010, Mr Robinson said that while he had no objection to church schools, he objected to the state funding them. |