Sir , – May I suggest that Ursula Halligan's article (Opinion & Analysis, May 15th) on growing up and being a gay person in Ireland should be read out in every Catholic Church this Sunday. Perhaps then a more Christian response towards the referendum may follow with a Yes vote. – Yours, etc,
MG STOREY,
Glencar,
Sligo.
Sir, – I am concerned that all political parties are in favour of a Yes vote in the forthcoming referendums. I am reminded of the consensus that existed during the boom and prior to the bust of 2008. I will therefore be voting No. – Yours, etc,
LUKE BOWDEN
Tara,
Co Meath.
Sir, – Changing the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples is not about extending the hand of equality to them – on the contrary, it’s about reaching out and pulling them in. Marriage is about binding people to each other and to their children, in the eyes of society, of their families, legally, financially, morally, emotionally and in all the other ways that matter. It may concern the rights of same-sex families to be treated equally but just as relevantly it concerns their duties and responsibilities – to make a commitment about staying together through sickness and health, good times and bad, to make every effort to love and honour and respect each other, making it very difficult to leave. Children, in same-sex or opposite-sex families deserve the same rights – and if that includes the right to have their parents be married to each other, then the way to go about it is to vote Yes. – Yours, etc,
HELEN O’LEARY,
Cork.
Sir, – I have difficulty in understanding how the Law Society can possibly justify its position that the proposed introduction of same-sex marriage is a matter of fundamental human rights ("Marriage equality is a human right, says Law Society", May 7th) given that the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg has come to precisely the opposite conclusion.
Like the Northern Ireland Assembly, which has just voted to reject same-sex marriage, I prefer to trust the guidance of the judges in Strasbourg to that of the solicitors in Dublin when it comes to deciding what are or are not human rights.
In fact, same-sex marriage is not recognised as a human right under any international or European human rights treaty to which Ireland is a party. Equally, the majority of EU and Council of Europe member states do not accept it and this situation is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
I hope Ireland will remain part of this majority and vote No. – Yours, etc,
ED KELLY,
St Helens, Merseyside.
Sir, – I am not particularly concerned about which way the vote goes. What dismays me is the way the Yes campaign appeals entirely to sentiment, and no logical arguments against it are entertained. I have never seen public discourse so intellectually debased. If by any chance the country votes No, I expect to see bunches of flowers from petrol stations laid against various monuments, with a few candles and a teddy bear. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL O’DONOVAN,
Murrintown,
Co Wexford.
Sir, – I believe marriage to be between a man and a woman. I will vote No. No offence! – Yours, etc,
K ROWAN,
Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
Sir, – As a straight, middle-aged, Irish white Christian male, married with children, I understand that I am a very fortunate and privileged person in this country.
Therefore I cannot fathom how difficult it must be to grow up with a sense of confusion about myself or my place in society. I have not feared how those whose respect I have grown up with would judge me if they found their assumptions were misplaced. I have not felt alone.
As a Christian I was taught “love thy neighbour”. I was taught beliefs are based not upon a church or institutes, but on a foundation of empathy, love and compassion. Especially compassion.
While heated words are exchanged on both sides, charges of bigotry or homophobe do little damage to anything but our tempers. The charges of being grotesque, of being less, of being unworthy, those words leave real scars on the psyche and souls of our neighbours.
I hope after this vote our LGBT neighbours can reflect, not upon the campaign bruises, but on the vast outpouring of love from those saying we stand with you. You are not alone. – Yours, etc,
ADAM EGAN,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – Lesbian and gay couples in Ireland are not waiting for a Yes vote as permission to start a family. We have been having, and will continue to have children, regardless of the outcome of this referendum. Anybody who truly has the best interests of children at heart will vote Yes to ensure that the children of lesbian/gay parents are born into families with full constitutional protection. Children born to lesbian/gay parents are planned for, wanted and dearly loved children. Children deserve to be wanted, cherished and have loving parents, regardless of the parents’ sex. – Yours, etc,
CLARE LEE,
Celbridge,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – Our son yesterday told us that most people were voting Yes in the forthcoming referendum on marriage. He is eight years old. We asked how did he know. He replied, with great confidence, how could they not vote Yes, because our family is the same as other families. We should be treated the same. Sensing a doubt in us, he assured us that all his class are voting Yes.
As parents we are full of awe of his confidence and belief in the Irish people. However, in darker moments, we as parents, also have a “what if” dread. What if he is wrong? How will this shatter his positive perception of the world? How will we support him and his brother with that level of rejection that a No vote will bring?
In our brighter moments, we think he is right. That Irish people will be persuaded, as we are, by the views of the children organisations. The organisations which have supported the children of Ireland for generations. The same organisations which advocate that for children to feel cherished and valued, they must be treated equally regardless of their sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of members of their household.
I hope my son’s faith in humanity will be confirmed and celebrated as people go to the polls on May 22nd.
Children do matter, so please vote Yes for their equality. – Yours, etc,
DENISE CHARLTON
and PAULA FAGAN,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – The front of my polling card lists numerous documents that are acceptable as evidence of identity. I can use, for example, a marriage certificate, a passport, a driving licence, a credit card or a student card. I can even use a savings book from Killinaskully credit union – if there is one! In the context of the forthcoming referendums, it is notable that a certificate of civil partnership is not acceptable as a form of identity. Has the civil marriage referendum campaign, already full of absurdity, produced a greater irony than this? – Yours, etc,
CIARÁN
Ó RAGHALLAIGH
Cavan.
Sir, – I have recently been fascinated to read claims that a Yes vote would benefit the economy; would improve the health of the nation; would be good for tourism and, since it is recommended by the Garda Representative Association, would presumably be good for law and order. Surely it only remains for Met Éireann to announce that a Yes vote will improve Ireland’s weather! – Yours, etc,
TONY BURKE,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – These two referendums are linked. Both are opportunities to show confidence in Irish people. Confidence in giving esteem and equality to a section of society which for so long was denigrated and underground. I’m delighted we have this chance to vote for marriage equality. And confidence and esteem for young Irish people. Why should we deny all our fellow citizens the right to decide for themselves who would be suitable for the office of president, by keeping that out of date age restriction. Lowering the age of eligibility simply widens the choice which the population will have. I’m optimistic that two Yes votes on May 22nd will make Irish people proud. – Yours, etc,
GEMMA HUSSEY,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – Voting matters most, not protesting, not opinion polls, nor “likes” or tweets or moaning to others in the pub of coffee shop. There is much discussion of a generational divide on the two questions being put to the people. Regardless of what the outcome is, should it result from an uneven distribution in voter turnout, especially one that is skewed more toward the older generation, then the “Celtic Cubs” will have shown themselves to be the lions that whimpered. – Yours,etc,
DANIEL SULLIVAN,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – Are you afraid to turn on your radio and television? Is your mind in referendum overload? Can you make it all go away? Vote Yes and it will; vote No and it won’t. – Yours, etc,
ELIZABETH
MOLONEY,
Dublin 4 .
Sir,– Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that he expects the same-sex marriage referendum to be passed by a narrow majority. If this is the outcome, let us assume it is by a 51/49 split or perhaps 55/45 split. On the basis of the latter, it would mean that 45 per cent of the electorate will have received no political representation during this referendum.
I trust that the Irish electorate will remember this lack of representation when politicians seek their vote in the next general election. It is self-evident that once “in office” our politicians abandon democracy and succumb to the centralised authority of the ruling party and party whip.
This is not democracy and it is small comfort to be told that some politicians will be voting No while publicly supporting the Yes campaign. We should see these politicians for what they are – supine and sycophantic. I am voting No and expect the referendum to be defeated. Such a result will show the huge disconnect between the Government/political parties and the electorate. – Yours, etc,
DAVID WHITE,
Tramore, Co Waterford.
Sir, – Is there any chance that the many holier-than-thou windbags, high-ground moralists and those offering unsolicited information about their sexual orientation could put away their soapbox once this referendum is over? It’s getting really tedious. – Yours, etc,
ROSEMARY GRAHAM,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – We support a Yes vote in the forthcoming referendum on marriage equality. – Yours, etc,
CECELIA AHERN,
ALEX BARCLAY,
COLIN BARRETT,
KEVIN BARRY,
SEBASTIAN BARRY,
SARA BAUME,
DERMOT BOLGER,
BONO,
ADAM CLAYTON,
THE EDGE,
LARRY MULLEN jnr,
JOHN BOYNE,
PAUL BRADY,
EOIN COLFER,
MICHAEL COLGAN,
MARY COSTELLO,
CATHY DAVEY,
MARTINA DEVLIN,
ÉILÍS NÍ DHUIBHNE,
EMMA DONOGHUE,
THEO DORGAN,
ROB DOYLE,
PAUL DURCAN,
ANNE ENRIGHT,
TOM FARRELLY,
TANA FRENCH,
ROY FOSTER,
GAVIN FRIDAY,
MIA GALLAGHER,
ANTHONY GLAVIN,
CARLO GEÉBLER,
BOB GELDOF,
GLEN HANSARD,
MARTIN HAYES,
CHRISTINE DWYER
HICKEY,
PAUL HOWARD,
DECLAN HUGHES,
GARRY HYNES,
JEREMY IRONS,
ANDY IRVINE,
OLIVER JEFFERS,
NEIL JORDAN,
CLAIRE KEEGAN,
CATHY KELLY,
MARIAN KEYES,
CLAIRE KILROY,
DEREK LANDY,
FIACH Mac CONGHAIL,
AIDAN MCARDLE,
EIMEAR McBRIDE,
COLUM McCANN,
JOHN McCOLGAN,
AISLIN McGUCKIN,
FRANK McGUINNESS,
BELINDA McKEON,
ROBERT McLIAM
WILSON,
HENRIETTA McKERVEY,
PAULA MEEHAN,
CHRISTY MOORE,
THOMAS MORRIS,
MARY MORRISSY,
PAUL MULDOON,
SINEAD O’CONNOR,
CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN,
DAVID PARK,
GLEN PATTERSON,
KEVIN POWER,
JAMES RYAN,
DONAL RYAN,
PATRICIA SCANLAN,
CIARA SIDINE,
PETER SHERIDAN,
SUSAN STAIRS,
COLM TÓIBÍN,
SARAH WEBB and
JOSEPH O’CONNOR,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.