I respect what the councillors against the prayer are saying but for me, I am for the retaining of the prayer and crucifix;
I see the recitation and the crucifix as a symbol of Christianity, a symbol of the upholding of Christian values, values that are important to keep and do offer a positive way forward for society.
On a historical point… In April 1933, Cork Corporation decided to place a crucifix in the Council Chamber of the new City Hall building. The decision was taken following a request conveyed in a letter from the Hon. Secretary of An Rioghacht. The group were also known as The League of the Kingship of Christ and had been established in Dublin in 1926 and sought to spread more widely Catholic social principles. Alderman Horgan noted at the next Council meeting that they were tolerant of the view of everyone and that an overwhelming majority in Cork were Catholics. He noted that the crucifix was an emblem of Christianity and should be in the new council chamber.