While the announcement of a referendum of same-sex
marriage was welcomed by gender rights campaigners, the Irish Catholic
Bishops said the church would be be mounting a campaign of opposition.
“The
debate at the heart of the referendum announced by the Government is
not about equality,” said Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Denis Nulty
said, in a statement on behalf of the bishops. “It is about the very
nature of marriage itself and the importance society places on the role
of mothers and fathers in bringing up children.”
Marriage
Equality chairwoman Gráinne Healy yesterday said the importance of
cross-party support for the referendum could “not be underestimated”.
“It has been seen [in other jurisdictions]
as a brave move and a leadership move – and leadership is something that
we really require in Ireland at the moment,” she said.
Speaking
before Taoiseach Enda Kenny had outlined his position on the
referendum, she said: “I would be hopeful he himself would feel he is
able to speak on the issue. I’m also particularly interested in Fine
Gael being able to say they are supporting this referendum.”
Gay
and Lesbian Equality Network chairman Kieran Rose said yesterday’s
decision by the Government was “landmark” and ”historic” in the context
of the evolution of gay rights in Ireland.
Minority group
Equality Authority chief executive Renee Dempsey said it was important the wording of the referendum be chosen carefully. “It is important the referendum does not place a minority group in the position where they must ask permission of their peers to marry the person of their choice,” she said.
Irish Council for Civil Liberties
director Mark Kelly said he had “absolutely no compunction” in calling
for Mr Kenny to declare his support for the referendum.
“This
is a moment for the Taoiseach and the leader of the Government to show
leadership,” he said. “He should say clearly that he’s calling on
everybody to vote for equality.”
In his statement,
however, Bishop Nulty said: “The church regards the family based on
marriage between a woman and a man as the single most important
institution in any society. To change the nature of marriage would be to
undermine it as the fundamental building block of our society.
“The
church will therefore participate fully in the democratic debate
leading up to the referendum and will seek with others to reaffirm the
rational basis for holding that marriage should be reserved for the
unique and complementary relationship between a woman and a man from
which the generation and upbringing of children is uniquely possible.”
Children
David Quinn, the director of the Iona Institute, which is a Catholic lobby group, said any party that supports the referendum would be “attacking the natural rights of children”.
“It is no breach
of the equality principle to treat different situations differently,” he
said.
“The sexual union of a man and a woman is unique and warrants a
unique social institution . . . It now seems clear that virtually all of
the political parties in Ireland are prepared to radically change for
the worse the most important child-centred social institution we have. They
no longer see any reason why we should have a social institution
dedicated above all to encouraging men and women to raise their children
together. To this extent, they are attacking the natural rights of children.”