Reform is needed to reinvigorate the promotion and uptate of vocations within the Galway diocese.

That's the view of Fr. Martin Whelan, the Galway Diocesan Secretary who says the time may now have come to consider having married priests.

He adds that such an undertaking should not be open to practising priests but to new entrants only.

There are no candidates entering for the priesthood within the Galway diocese this year, however four are currently in the process with future ordination dates in three years time, should they complete their term.

There are 52 priests within the Galway diocese with an average age of 60 or over who administer to a local population of up to 100 thousand registered catholics.

Fr. Whelan told Galway Bay fm news that the practice of married priests is not a common tradition in the Western world but is in operation in many other countries.

He says the system may now be ready for reform to fill the feared future void in vocations in Galway and nationwide.