A new survey of Irish farmers and farming families has shown significant support for married priests and the ordination of female priests.
The Irish Examiner / ICMSA (Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association) Farming Poll has shown that 82% of respondents agreed that Catholic priests should be allowed to marry.
63% of respondents 'strongly agreed' with that suggestion.
Meanwhile, 80% agreed women priests should be allowed be ordained, including 58% who 'strongly agreed'.
69% of respondents to the poll said they attended Mass every week.
The Behaviour & Attitudes survery was conducted between August 14 and September 4, and involved 526 interviews with "farm dwelling adults", including 429 interviews with farmers themselves.
Fr Sean McDonagh of the Association of Catholic Priests told the Examiner: “The most interesting thing is here are lay people and people of faith seeing that the present rules are not functioning and want to see a change to allow it to function better."
He added that the results should act as “a huge wake-up call” for Catholic church officials here.
You can read more about the poll's findings here.
