BY DEARBHAIL MCDONALD AND FIONNAN SHEAHAN
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.
