IT IS currently unclear whether Limerick City Council will follow
nearby Kerry County Council in backing same-sex marriage in Ireland as
City Councillors offered differing opinions on the issue.As Kerry became the 14th local authority in the country to support such a motion this week, Limerick City Mayor Gerry McLoughlin said he was not planning to table a similar motion in the immediate future.
He told Limerick Post: “It’s possible but it hasn’t come up yet. Obviously it’s a big issue and there are a lot of things involved. It would depend on how the individual Councillors feel about it. I don’t see why we couldn’t have a debate about it but there’s no reason why it should come up at the moment.
The Labour Mayor added that same-sex marriage was “an emotive issue” and that Councillors need to inform themselves as best they can.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin Councillor Maurice Quinlivan said he would be happy to put forward a motion on same-sex marriage to Limerick City Council.
He commented: “It definitely should be brought before the Council, I would be happy to submit it myself. People believe that something should be done about it and the time to do it is now. We have civil partnerships but we didn’t go far enough. We’re living in a modern society where people want to live whatever way they want to.”
Fianna Fáil Councillor Kieran O’Hanlon said that while he has no issues regarding same-sex marriage, he doesn’t believe that it is a matter for local authorities to debate.
“I don’t particularly have a problem with it; I think everyone should be allowed to live their own lives. My view is that we have many more fundamental problems in this country that need to be dealt with. It’s a matter for the legislators; I don’t really think local authorities have any business even having opinions on these matter. “