Saturday, July 03, 2010

Civil Partnership Bill "will create new injustices": Iona

The Civil Partnership Bill, which was back before the Dáil on Thursday "will create new injustices if passed in its present form,” according to the pro-marriage organisation, the Iona Institute.

In a statement, the Institute said that the Bill attacks marriage by “creating a new legal form of relationship that mimics marriage in almost every way.”

The statement comes after the Irish Conference of Catholic Bishops called on the Government to allow a free vote on the Bill, which Government sources say is set for passage before the summer recess.

The Bill, the statement continued, would also help “to pave the way for recognition of gay adoption which is a direct attack on a child’s right to be raised by a mother and a father, where possible.”

Dr John Murray, a spokesman for the Institute, said that marriage “has special status for a reason.” Marriage, Dr Murray added, “is the most pro-child of all social institutions.”

He said, “Research shows that children tend to fare best when raised by their two biological parents in a low-conflict marriage. This makes marriage unique and it is not discrimination to treat something that is unique in a unique way by giving it status and recognition that belong to it and it alone.”

The Bill, Dr Murray added, “will give almost all the rights of married couples to gay and lesbian couples.”

“This equivalence helps to undermine the special status of marriage. Marriage is less ‘special’, has less status, if other forms of relationships, which are not equivalent to marriage, are given the benefits of marriage,” he said.

Referring to the lack of a conscience clause in the Bill, Dr Murray continued, “It is also wrong and unjust not to include a conscience clause in this Bill. Giving preferential status to marriage is entirely rational and defensible and a desire to give it favourable treatment is not a product of ‘prejudice’ as some insist.

In fact, it is deeply worrying that the law is moving towards classifying belief in traditional morality in this way. The consequences of such a move are very far-reaching.”

Under the proposed Bill, civil registrars who conscientiously object to facilitating a same-sex civil union can be sent to prison for up to six months.

Photographers, printers and others who do not wish to facilitate a civil union ceremony or reception due to their belief in traditional marriage could be fined and church halls that rent themselves out for other purposes can be fined if it will not rent itself out to a same-sex couples who wish to hold their reception there.

Dr Murray concluded by pointing out that the Iona Institute believes that certain legal protections such as maintenance and property rights and next-of-kin rights, ought to be given to anyone in a caring, dependent relationship.

Whether or not that relationship was sexual in nature ought not to determine whether these benefits accrued.

“This could include gay and lesbian couples, for example, or an elderly brother and sister living together,” he said.

SIC: CIN