Press release for immediate release
Monday 2 July 2012
Ireland’s human rights watchdog, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has today (2 July 2012) welcomed the public statements of support for gay marriage by the Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore TD and the Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter TD.
The Council fully agrees with the Tánaiste’s view, as endorsed by the Minister for Justice, that the time has come for society to recognise “the civil rights issue of this generation” of people in Ireland.
ICCL Director Mr Mark Kelly said:
“The ICCL greatly welcomes the political leadership shown by the Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice and fully agrees with them that it is not the job of the State to determine with whom people should fall in love, or with whom they should spend their lives. Gay people should indeed have the same rights as anybody else to marry and they should have those rights now.”
Mr Kelly added that,
“Other issues that the Government has identified as high political priorities, such as children’s rights and Senate reform are being fast-tracked towards referendums, rather than sent for yet more discussion by the constitutional convention. Granting full equality to same sex couples should be accorded a similar priority. However, if this issue does form part of the constitutional convention’s discussions, it will be crucial that a prominent place at the table be given to civil society groups representing those with the most direct interest in this civil rights issue”.
ENDS.
For further information, please contact:
Walter Jayawardene
Communications Manager
Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL)
9-13 Blackhall Place
Dublin 7
Ireland
Tel. + 353 1 799 4503
Mob: +353 87 9981574
Fax. + 353 1 799 4512
E-mail walter.jayawardene@iccl.ie
Web www.iccl.ie