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ICCL Concerned Over Creighton's Twitter Remarks
In the wake of Lucinda Creighton’s twitter remarks about marriage and civil partnerships, Ireland’s leading human rights organisation says prospective ministers must prove competence and commitment.
Following the storm that ensued after Fine Gael's spokesperson on equality, Lucinda Creighton posted remarks on Twitter advocating non-equality for gay couples under marriage law, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) have urged party leaders to ensure that the candidates whom they designate fit for ministerial office genuinely have the competence and commitment to fill their prospective roles.
"The ICCL is not a political organisation and it does not campaign for political purposes; however, it is firmly of the view that persons whom party leaders designate fit for ministerial office must have the competence and commitment to fill their prospective roles," said ICCL Director, Mark Kelly.
"A human rights organisation cannot but be concerned if a party spokesperson on equality espouses views that demonstrate a fundamentally flawed understanding of that brief. As the Government's own Colley Report concluded, only full civil marriage for same sex couples constitutes full equality.
"Civil partnership is an important step in the right direction, but is no substitute for full equality. Moreover, for an equality spokesperson to suggest that the procreative aspect of heterosexual marriage is its defining characteristic is simply preposterous."
"Elsewhere, including in the United Kingdom and the United States, moves are afoot to upgrade civil partnership to full marriage and to recognise existing same sex marriages.
"The tide has turned on this issue and there should be no place at the Cabinet table for anyone who lacks the competence or commitment to modernise Ireland's laws to provide the full equality which has been denied to same-sex couples for far too long," Mr Kelly concluded.