THE Catholic church has accused Jack McConnell of exaggerating the extent of sectarianism in Scotland .

Church officials believe that the first minister uses the issue to divert attention away from more pressing social problems such as domestic violence, racism and drug and alcohol abuse.

Last week McConnell published an 18-point action plan to tackle what he has called “Scotland’s shame”. It followed a sectarianism summit which he organised last year, attended by 40 representatives from all areas of public life.

Among the suggestions are plans to twin Catholic and non-denominational schools, which would involve pupils sharing in sports, music and drama classes as well as out-of-school trips and activities.

However, Peter Kearney, a spokesman for the Catholic church in Scotland, said that the vast majority of Scots had no personal experience of sectarianism.

The Scottish executive’s own figures reveal that it is a relatively minor problem compared with other forms of violence. In the 15 months to September 2004 there were 450 reports to the procurator fiscal for sectarian crime. In the same year there were 43,678 complaints of domestic violence and 3,856 racist incidents reported to the police.

“For the majority of Catholics, sectarian violence or verbal abuse is, thankfully, not something they are likely to encounter,” said Kearney.

“There is a background problem based on historical issues, but the current issue really needs to be set in perspective and in comparison with other criminal justice issues, like domestic violence, racism, alcohol-related violence and drug problems. It should be by no means at the top of the priority list.

“The danger by so much attention being given to it is that you reinforce a problem which many respects is dwindling. It detracts attention away from deserving issues such as drugs, alcohol, domestic abuse and racism.”

This view is supported by some of McConnell’s colleagues. Mike Rumbles, Liberal Democrat MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, said: “I have never come across sectarianism in all my time in the northeast of Scotland — that is 11 years — or in my public life since being elected in 1999. I think we live in a very tolerant and liberal society. These statistics bear that out.

“I do believe that sectarianism is a very localised issue to west central Scotland, and I do resent the feeling that we have a problem right across Scotland. We emphatically do not.”

McConnell launched his crusade against sectarianism at the start of last year when he was at the centre of a media storm after spending Hogmanay at the Spanish villa of Kirsty Wark, the broadcaster.

David Murray, owner of Rangers football club, accused him of being “ill informed” with a “knee-jerk” reaction.

A Scottish executive spokesman said: “The first minister has made tackling bigoted attitudes one of his top priorities and will continue to do so.”

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