Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has been called on to declare his support for marriage equality for Irish gay couples.
The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), a rights organization based in Dublin, said it was time for Prime Minister Kenny to follow in the footsteps of Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter and Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore in support of full equality (Deputy Gilmore is the most senior member of the Irish government to voice his support for marriage equality to date).
According to Breakingnews.ie GLEN chair Kieran Rose said the forthcoming Irish Constitutional Convention provides the ideal opportunity to address the issue.
'The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) in declaring his support for civil marriage, would give clear political leadership building on the success of civil partnership and the very strong public support for progress to the next step,' he said.
Justice Minister Shatter has previously made his own support for marriage equality clear.
'I believe that individuals should be allowed to get on with their lives freely in circumstances in which their circumstances don’t detrimentally impact on others,' Shatter reportedly said. 'I fully support equality, I fully support civil partnership – and I think it’s in the public interest this Constitution issue be addressed in the Constitutional Convention that is going to be held.'
At the weekend Deputy Prime Minister Gilmore made history when he said he supported full marriage equality for Irish gay couples, adding that the right of gay couples to marry was the civil rights issue for this generation.
Minister Shatter said on Monday there was nothing the Deputy Prime Minister said which he personally disagreed with. However a difficulty could be contained within the language of Ireland’s Constitution which under Article 41 makes reference to marriage.
'That reference in multiple court cases has been defined as referring to a marriage between a man and a woman,' said Shatter. 'This issue is an issue that needs to be addressed and is going to be addressed in the Constitutional Convention.'
Civil partnership for both homosexual and heterosexual partners was introduced in Ireland in 2010. The bill gives couples the same rights in terms of tax, social welfare and other legal issues as married couples, however full marriage rights with greater privileges exist for opposite-sex than those taking Civil Partnerships. In particular, the denial of the right to apply to adopt was seen as a blatant form of discrimination.
Now the issue of same sex marriage will be examined by the Constitutional Convention.
Gay couples are having civil partnerships all over Ireland, which they joyfully celebrate with their families and friends, Rose said. 'They and the enthusiastic public support in polls clearly show that Ireland is ready to move to civil marriage,' he added.
'The people of Ireland, in their open hearted welcoming of civil partnerships have spoken, saying we are entitled to marry. To move to marriage now and provide full Constitutional equality for lesbian and gay people is not a massive legislative leap; it is an incremental step building on the success of Civil Partnership legislation.'
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.ciaradexy | Jul 05, 2012, 12:01 PM EDT
IrelandNorth, the men you speak of had no support from the majority until they were executed so could it be that they were also a minority group regardless of their sexual preferences which, are none of your business anyway. 70% of the population support gay marriage so things need to be changed now.
hollabackgurl | Jul 04, 2012, 05:48 PM EDT
"How many homosexuals were in the General Post Office (GPO) (or any of the other rebel ten commandments around Dublin) during 1916?" Patrick Pearse, for a start. And Roger Casement was an Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary, and nationalist. Oscar Wilde was also an avowed Irish nationalist and gave many rousing speeches in favor of Home Rule in the United States. You don't know much about your own history IrelandNorth, do you? Unless it has been sanctioned first by a bishop perhaps?
hollabackgurl | Jul 04, 2012, 05:44 PM EDT
I love reading the spluttering nonsense from people like MISNEAC below when they write things like: 'There is no such identity as "marriage " between people of the same sex!' Hasn't been outside for a while, has he/she? 'There is no such thing as gay people because I won't hear of it, see!' OMG.
misneac | Jul 04, 2012, 01:27 PM EDT
There is no such identity as "marriage " between people of the same sex ! There is no massive public support for the agendas constantly being touted by gays and lesbians , all propaganda .Kenny has also bowed enough to the likes of Quinn ,Gilmore and Shatter exorcising their bigotry ,and will have to explain himself at the next election .
leispiach | Jul 04, 2012, 07:25 AM EDT
@IrelandNorth I'm sure there were many homosexuals present at the GPO, they just couldn't come out and say it at the time, thank god for the progress we've made... Also regarding the oh so clever "dic[k]tate" pun, I'm constantly baffled by the obsession with the sexual practices of gay people. I hope you realise that half of the gay people in Ireland are not in possession of dicks.
IrelandNorth | Jul 04, 2012, 07:08 AM EDT
How many homosexuals were in the General Post Office (GPO) (or any of the other rebel ten commandments around Dublin) during 1916. How many of the leaders executed by British firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol were homosexual. What colour is conspicuously absent from the Irish tricolour. Loud vociferous minorities should not dic[k]tate[?] national policy.
Seanmor | Jul 03, 2012, 07:30 PM EDT
Could it be that Taoiseach Kenny is a Christian who still believes in the Bible?
aloistmartin | Jul 03, 2012, 07:07 PM EDT
What will you do for an Encore Mr. Kenny: Build a Bridge across the N. Channel, announce a plan to return Wolves and Roe Deer to the National Parks, Send Troops into Syria; It is utterly amazing what could be done if Wealth and Status, were but an Object @?..!
cynicus | Jul 03, 2012, 06:18 PM EDT
Don't bet on it GLEN. I see no 'very strong public support.' This propaganda will not be reflected in any vote; wait and see.
hollabackgurl | Jul 03, 2012, 01:42 PM EDT
It's people who insist on dignity and rights for themselves whilst suggesting that many of their countrymen belong in the gutter, who are the ones who who are truly diminishing and eroding the dignity and standards of a nation, Paradigm.
erlemann55 | Jul 03, 2012, 11:02 AM EDT
mr. Kenny, Please don't bow to pressure.
Paradigm | Jul 03, 2012, 09:52 AM EDT
You're too decent a man to pull Ireland into the gutter, Enda. Simply ignore such pressures to erode the dignity and standards of our society.