Vatican not a member of Council of Europe

I read the recent reports of the decision of the European Court of Justice in relation to Ms O’Keeffe’s case with a keen sense of embarrassment. That Ms O’Keeffe found herself forced to battle her way through the Irish courts in order to obtain justice in Strasbourg begs some questions.

Whilst Ms O’Keeffe’s rights were not interfered with by someone who takes directions from the Vatican, I think we are all aware by now that the chances were, she could have been. And that the Irish taxpayer has, to my knowledge, found itself responsible for most of the resultant compensation cost.

I find it curious to note that the Vatican is one of a tiny number of European states not to be a member of the Council of Europe. The only other ones appear to be Belarus and Kazakhstan.

I believe it took something like 126 years for the Vatican’s bank to publish its first set of financial accounts. Apparently those accounts are not what you might call unambiguous.

Perhaps the new Pope, who appears content to be portrayed as modernising and progressive, would care to explain exactly why the Vatican is not a member of the Council of Europe?

I appreciate some believe God will judge us all but what’s wrong with submitting ourselves to reasonable human judgement in the meantime? It might result in a more appropriate allocation of liability between Ireland and the Vatican.

Adam Ó hAodh

La Ciotat

France