Why all the fuss over a simple census question?
Most people don't believe it is a test of their orthodoxy and that there are minimum criteria to be met, such as Catholics naming the sacraments, the minimum bar Jason FitzHarris thinks should apply (Irish Examiner letters, March 20).
Considering that many nominal a la carte Roman Catholic parents have their children baptised as Catholics, receive Holy Communion and Confirmation as Catholics, are wed in Catholic churches and are buried according to the rites of the Catholic church, the question is a bit of a no-brainer.
Since, apparently, 88% of people ticked Roman Catholic last time I don't think it is causing much angst or confusion with the Irish public either.
It is strange to think that agnostics' and atheists' beliefs, or lack of them in this case, would be so easily undermined by having 'No religion' at the bottom of the list (Jaime Hyland, Irish Examiner letters, March 21). It seems a reasonable place to put it if one has scrolled down the list and has felt no great desire to tick any of the above.
It is highly unlikely a person of no religion would tick some denomination by mistake.
An option such as 'Don't know' would be ludicrous. The CSO might as well add 'Don't know' as options to 'Martial status' or 'How do you travel to work?'
As the old adage goes, if it quacks like a duck and swims like a duck, it probably is a duck.
Mark Daly
Castlefield Woods
Clonsilla
Dublin 15
