Politicians must vote with their conscience

Dear Editor, Why did Peter Matthews TD introduce a private members bill which would allow TDs to vote according to their conscience when this is already “guaranteed to every citizen” under Article 44.2.1 of the Constitution?

We Catholics who believe what the Church teaches, only do so because our Church is based on the revelation of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, which has been preserved and handed down intact according to the promises of Christ, despite the failings of the Church’s human element in various epochs, especially the one in which we now live.

The Catholic Church teaches that conscience is the application of the natural law to a particular case, an inner dictate to do what is good and reject evil. If TDs act against their judgment or choose party loyalties over following their conscience, they stand condemned by their own conscience.

Thomas Aquinas summed it up in two sentences: “Every law made by man has reason to be law in that it is derived from natural law. If on the other hand, something is opposed to natural law, then it is not
law but corruption of the law.”

Yours etc.,

Gerry Glennon,

Dun Laoghaire,

Co. Dublin.