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Irish people now in support of same sex marriage according to latest poll

Activists react positively to Constitution reform survey

By
PATRICK COUNIHAN,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Friday, February 24, 2012, 7:22 AM
Updated Friday, February 24, 2012, 10:59 AM

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A new Red C opinion polls presented to the Irish parliament says that 73 per cent are in agreement with the statement ‘same sex marriage should be allowed in the Constitution’
A new Red C opinion polls presented to the Irish parliament says that 73 per cent are in agreement with the statement ‘same sex marriage should be allowed in the Constitution’
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The majority of Irish people now support same sex marriage and want to see it enshrined in the constitution.

A new Red C opinion poll presented to the Irish parliament says that 73 per cent are in agreement with the statement ‘same sex marriage should be allowed in the Constitution’.

The findings were presented to the Irish government and opposition in a report prepared for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the last Constitutional referendum.

The support has been welcomed by gay and lesbian rights groups.

GLEN group chairperson Kieran Rose told the Gay Community website: “The poll confirms the openness of Irish people and their support for further critically important progress to achieving equality for lesbian and gay people.

“The proposed Constitutional Convention provides the opportunity to build on the progress of Civil Partnership and provide constitutional protection for our relationships.

“It also offers a very important opportunity to protect all families equally, including lesbian and gay headed families.”

Moninne Griffith from the Marriage Equality group told the website that they will fully engage with the Constitutional Convention due to report within 12 months on the ‘legislative and/or constitutional options to provide for marriage equality for same sex couples’.

The convention is expected to include lawyers, politicians and members of the public.

“We look forward to engaging in debate with the members of the Convention, and other stakeholders, as to how marriage equality can be introduced as quickly as possible,” said Griffith.

“With 73% of the population in favour of marriage rights for same sex couples, the Irish people are clearly ready for marriage equality.”

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49 Comments

15 - 49 | See all comments

kev114 | Apr 04, 2012, 08:20 AM EDT
This is great news. Im a young Irish person living in Dublin and Ive grown up having Gay friends & Gay family. The vast majority of people in Ireland do support gay marriage, it isn't a myth that some people claim it to be. Recently there was a anti gay marriage protest outside leinster house and it attracted fewer than 20 people. For too long now the Irish Government have been cowardly towards the Vatican, Well its about time we separate church and state, We are are modern European country now who are slowly catching up to our fellow countries in Europe. I think people who want to live under the law of the bible should perhaps move to the Vatican city!

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uppinko | Feb 27, 2012, 06:17 PM EST
This does not as much show the openess of the Irish people as regards this abomination but the surrender of all that was decent, moral and right. With the breakdown in society at all levels of morality (same sex marriages, legalising of the murder of the unborn, assisted suicide (murder) and a host of other extreme liberal amendments to our Blessed Constitution then this country will never prosper but sink into disharmony and chaos.

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timbobdennehy | Feb 27, 2012, 05:26 PM EST
well a goat and a gazelle,got married in china. with equal rights comes equal tax.its more than a money racket or a religious thing,a marriage is a permanent companionship.if marriage is only symbolic and not a status,why cant single agents shoot up the ranks of companies,now that's inequality.

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IrelandNorth | Feb 27, 2012, 07:16 AM EST
I'm glad to see the professional pollsters/serial statisticians have found another axe to grind, after their success at manufacturing the appropriate consent for the presidential candidate of choice of the 26 county political establishment. Trouble is, he's proving to be a less co-operative political ventriloquists dummy than they had hoped for. Polls do not reflect public opinion, but the opinions the political establishment want the public to have. A case of loading the dice in the parliamentary democracy game. Marriage is for procreation. Why marry if it's biologically impossible to procreate. Homophobia is fear of men, not homosexuals, whether gay or otherwise.

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sirpeter | Feb 26, 2012, 07:18 PM EST
Gearoid4 takes advice from the Bible.Guys like Moses who took 40 years to get from Egypt to Israel? Taking it easy,you'd walk Cairo to Jerusalem in 2 weeks.

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pwherman | Feb 26, 2012, 02:52 PM EST
How sad and disappointing that one of the largest bases of the Catholic Church has decided to support this. When this has come to vote in the US, all states have voted AGAINST same sex marriage. The states that have allowed this had it brought in by their state legislators, they did not allow the people to vote on it. Shame on them. Shame on you.

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ciaradexy | Feb 26, 2012, 05:59 AM EST
Gearoid, marriage was around long before christianity. Pagan marriage ceremonies took place well before christianity ever came near Ireland and before white people invaded the US so for you to say its a religious construct is completely wrong. Also, ''natural order'', are you for real? So if a straight couple cant have children they shouldnt be allowed fertility treatment as this isnt part of 'natural order', if they cant have children are they somehow 'less natural'? Your religion is bigoted, homophobic, primitive and the people who preach it to you have a history of abusing possibly hundreds of thousands of children. Is this your 'natural order'? ''We are indeed all in need of grace and cannot act as if there are no repercussions for certain things that we do.'' That depends on your value system. I was brought up to be a decent person and to treat others with respect which I do. I do plenty of volunteering just because I feel its the right thing to do. I would consider myself a humanist with a good set of values but I didnt get them from a bearded man in the sky.

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sirpeter | Feb 25, 2012, 10:23 PM EST
@Gearoid4.You need faith and feel in need of grace but don't say WE.That's your belief.No need to tell anybody what they need more of.You could be wrong.

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Gearoid4 | Feb 25, 2012, 02:57 PM EST
C Dexy- Your ignorant dismissal of a global religion of 2000 years as "fairytales" reveals a very ill-educated and ignorant view of what Faith is about. We are indeed all in need of grace and cannot act as if there are no repercussions for certain things that we do. Religion very much is part of marriage from it's ceremonial beginnings to the living out of the marriage by the couple in question. Perhaps you are referring to the "civil" form of it, which is covered by the state? Just because someone does not buy into referring to "same-sex" unions as marriages, does not make him or her automatically a homophobe. This is rather a fallacious and silly argument to make. The natural order decrees that marriage is restricted to one man and one woman and is open to procreation

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maryosullivan | Feb 25, 2012, 02:39 PM EST
In the words of the great Kieth Olberman, " what's it to you" You guys might consider going on a " Peeping Tom Tour " with Santorum and get this weird interest in the proclivities of others out of your systems

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ciaradexy | Feb 25, 2012, 12:03 PM EST
Misneac, ''Marriage'' is what happens after a wedding. Religion doesnt need to come in to it. If youre a homophobe, dont marry a person of the same sex.

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ciaradexy | Feb 25, 2012, 12:02 PM EST
Gearoid-''We are all human and in need of God's grace.'' Dont be so patronising. Just because you believe in fairy tales doesnt make you right.

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misneac | Feb 25, 2012, 11:29 AM EST
The majority of Irish people do not support same sex " marriage " , as there is no such entity as " marriage " between people of the same sex ! I do not know of any person who was surveyed for this poll , nor in discussing this topic has any acquaintance of mine expressed support for the idea . More propaganda from a media with an agenda darling !

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Gearoid4 | Feb 25, 2012, 11:11 AM EST
@Sirpeter, You state that you believe in God and yet assert there is no such thing as right and wrong. Yeah, right,there is just the small matter of the 10 Commandments and Christ's Mission which was dedicated to overcoming sin and death through His death and resurrection. In Matthew 9:12-13, Jesus speaks of sinners as having a sickness which was more of a moral malaise than a physical illness: “But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” We are all human and in need of God's grace. @Barneyjo, I often agree with the great insight that you have on certain matters but when you state that Jesus did not deal in absolutes, I have to respectfully disagree with that. His words were clear and unambiguous concerning the effect of sin on the soul and admonished those who persisted in such conduct despite being aware of the consequences. He was firm in his words against adultery,material greed and other such behaviors which distanced individuals from their relationships with their Creator.

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ciaradexy | Feb 25, 2012, 10:52 AM EST
George, youre a rubbish catholic! Sex should only be within marriage and for procreation! Thats how it works! Thats what your beloved religion has preached here for years!

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