I’m sure Ireland’s best chronicler of the activities of Chairman Ganley will be on to this soon enough. I got two texts early this morning directing me to the Irish Times and one asked why I was not in Roscommon at the weekend – like I’d be the most welcome guest at that table?

Libertas founder and chairman Declan Ganley spoke at a conference at the weekend regarding faith and public duty entitled  ‘Render Unto Caesar’ — Invitation to a Public Conference on Faith, Politics and Education.  The conference was organised by the John Paul II Society and cosponsored by Human Life International. The full programme is available here. Other speakers included Lucinda Creighton, Fine Gael TD and Senator Jim Walsh (Fianna Fáil) and independent Senator Ronan Mullen and Susan Phillips (Previously covered on Maman Poulet).

Chairman Ganley confirmed that plans were proceeding for the formation of Libertas in all member states of the EU – despite the best efforts of the Brussels elite who seemingly are out to get him.  But Saturday was playing to an audience who were not in a nobbling frame of mind.

This weekend in remarks specifically targetted for his audience he seems to be more open on the nature of his beliefs and their impact on his political ideology. (We’ve had a few hints on matters to do with the Chairman’s faith and stance on moral issues before.)  I know Libertas and political ideology were not easy bedfellows heretofore – maybe we are moving beyond ‘making it up as we go alongolgy’ or being vague when it suited him and nailing some colours to the mast.

He also assured delegates of his opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, referring to earlier opening remarks in which he quoted from Pope Benedict’s recent encyclicals, Deus Caritas Est and Spe Salvi , “with their message of God’s love�.

Reflecting on Ireland’s history he continued, “our faith and our rights are strong today because we have suffered the yoke of oppression . . . we grew stronger and we grew free�.

He queried whether “we have lost something� and noted the address of the pope at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome immediately prior to his election in April 2005. There, the pope criticised a “dictatorship of moral relativism . . . in a world where faith in God is seen as a threat�, Mr Ganley said.

He went on to criticise “a media obsessed with breaking down the domestic church . . . and the family� and reminded delegates that “the essence of our faith is that all life is sacred�. He concluded: “Yes we must, we must take risks for truth.�

In the later question-and-answer session, he said any guarantees given by the EU on social and ethical issues “were not worth the paper they are written on�, where the European Court of Justice was concerned.

He continued that: “the laws of the union have primacy over the laws of any member state . . . If there is a conflict, union law rules.�

He continued: “I have been called a liar, a murderer, an arms dealer, a CIA agent, a KGB agent – all of those things, all are filthy lies, but even if [such things were true] it doesn’t change the truth of what we are saying is in this treaty.�

So there you have it – Everyone is out to get him seemingly. It’s all made up. And everything is now a social and ethical issue all of a sudden so that it’s not about personal religious beliefs anymore – but spun as being broader in focus. And if they don’t get their way it’ll be a case of Christianophobia.