The Culture Minister Josepha Madigan's expressed disappointment, after pro-life protesters forced the relocation of a talk she is due to give to a Catholic group.

The event, organised by the group We Are Church, was due to take place at the Mercy International Centre in Dublin.

Minister Madigan is set to give an address on why the Catholic Church should open all ministries to women.

However, the centre cancelled the booking after saying it received calls threatening to hold a major protest.

The Mercy International Centre said it risked "grave reputational damage" if the meeting went ahead.

It claimed the representations ranged from vigorous to vitriolic, and at least one staff member was intimidated.

We Are Church spokesperson Colm Holmes said protesters were angry about Josepha Madigan's role in the campaign to repeal the eighth amendment last year.

He observed: "We think it's disappointing the way they are victimising the minister for what she did - she in fact is a practicing Catholic, and a very committed Catholic in her own right.

"[The protesters] are focusing on her, and making her the target of their ire that the referendum was lost."

Minister Madigan, meanwhile, said: “It is truly disappointing that Mercy International Centre has been targeted in this way when the subject matter of the evening is in relation to the role of women in ministries in the Catholic Church, an issue entirely separate to my role as campaign coordinator in repealing the eighth amendment." 

The venue for the meeting's now been moved to a south Dublin hotel next month.

We Are Church is a group that says it's working towards the 'renewal' of the Catholic Church, with aims including "full participation of women in all aspects of church life, including priesthood".

Last year, Minister Madigan made headlines when she and other parishioners stepped in to perform the majority of a mass in Dublin after a priest failed to show.