Marriage for gays is 'goal' of Greens

GAY MARRIAGE is a goal of the Green Party, Minister for the Environment John Gormley told an event in Dublin to mark the passing of the civil partnership legislation.

Mr Gormley said he knew some people were “deeply concerned” the new law did not deal with the rights of children of same-sex parents, adding that additional rights “must” be achieved.

“We take pride in what we have all achieved today, conscious of the fact that tomorrow we continue the fight towards the final goal of full marriage equality,” Mr Gormley said.

The “Party for Partnership” took place in the Odeon bar on Harcourt Street last night. A spokesman for the Greens said “full marriage equality” would “hopefully be a component of a future programme for government down the line”.

Mr Gormley said some politicians who were initially very reluctant to support the Bill had changed their minds and this would make “the push for more rights” in future easier. “And critical among these additional rights we must achieve are those related to children . . . I know there are people who are deeply concerned that this legislation does not deal with family rights.”

Homophobia still existed, Mr Gormley said. “I believe in freedom of speech. I believe in freedom of conscience. But I and the Green Party will not stand by and allow old and discredited prejudices to dictate how we treat the citizens of this country.”

He said the Civil Partnership Act represented one of the most significant achievements of his party’s time in government.

Mr Gormley particularly welcomed a provision for a verbal declaration in front of a registrar that the couple intend to enter into a civil partnership. “As a married man, it strikes me that one of the most basic elements of a permanent relationship is the right of the two persons involved to stand before their family, their friends and before the State and be able to officially proclaim they have come together as two persons in love, to live their lives as one.”