A CHURCH of Ireland pressure group says marriage should be extended to same-sex couples.
Changing Attitude Ireland (CAI) has also said that children being raised by same-sex couples "need the protection of marriage".
The CAI, formed in 2007, has told the Irish
Independent that it is "quite indignant" that it was not afforded the
opportunity to make oral submissions at today's Constitutional
Convention, which is debating whether same-sex marriage should be voted
on in a referendum.
A gay
marriage referendum is expected to be given the green light, with
leading Fine Gael figures, including Children's Minister Frances
Fitzgerald and party chairman Charlie Flanagan weighing in behind the proposal.
"The tide is definitely turning all over the Western world and it is
turning in Ireland, too," said Canon Charles Kenny, secretary of the
CAI.
Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore has described marriage equality as the biggest
civil rights issue and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has also
supported gay marriage.
Fianna Fail's four delegates will be supporting
the proposal to extend marriage to same-sex couples.