This is just a continuation of a process where the influence of the Catholic Church is being progressively diluted - particularly in state institutions.
The cause goes back to a number of investigations where the sins of the Catholic Church in Ireland were uncovered in graphic detail. This includes, but goes well beyond, child sexual abuse by priests to serious mistreatment of unwed mothers in catholic run institutions along with high infant death rates, child punishment verging on torture, encouragement of toxic bullying and a particularly disgusting institution for unwed mothers where still born children were disposed of, by nuns, in a septic tank.
The consequences for the Catholic Church in Ireland have been significant. This change is part of an ongoing process where Church is being forcibly separated from the State.
I wrote this for a thread back in 2019:
If you look at what has happened in Ireland in particular you can see where loss of moral authority has negatively impacted on the (in this case) Catholic Church. Attendance at mass has dropped significantly, approval of religion has also dropped. A once staunchly Catholic nation now allows abortion, requires priests to report abuse discovered in confession, allows same sex marriage based on a public vote and is currently led by an openly gay man. Priests no longer command the respect they once did.
The Irish have learned that allowing the Church to manage many of it's governmental institutions was a tragic mistake.
OB