Madam, - I fully agree with Prof Patricia Casey (February 26th) that the debate on this topic should be led by reason and calm consideration of the facts. She also refers to the "overwhelming evidence that children tend to do best when raised by a married mother and father".
I have been a practising psychiatrist for over 30 years and I am unaware of any such overwhelming evidence. There is wide agreement that children do best when raised by stable, nurturing care-givers, but I am unaware of any objective evidence about the impact of their gender or sexual orientation.
Like any intelligent person, Prof Casey has formed certain opinions based on her clinical experience. I too have formed certain opinions from working in the same field as she does but mine are the direct opposite of hers on this topic. I have come to believe that gay couples in a stable, loving relationship can do as good a job of child-rearing as traditional parents if all other factors are equal. I look forward to seeing which of these opinions is validated by objective study.
Judging by her title, Prof Casey, has had a successful career in medicine. I am sure that she is grateful she was not born in an era when it was widely "known" that women's proper place was in the home and that they had no place in the professions (or in the ballot booth, for that matter). - Yours, etc,
BRIAN CONNOLLY, Birmingham, Michigan, USA.
Madam, - Last Monday's article by Denise Charlton and Paula Fagan was, we assume, prompted by the launch of the Marriage Equality campaign which OPEN supports. Dr Patricia Casey's letter in response says there is "a real danger that this debate is going to be led by emotion. It must instead be led by reason and a calm consideration of the facts."
We believe it might be better if the debate were led by a balance of emotion, reason, fact and openness. There is genuine emotion among families in Ireland who do not "fit" the recognised norm. An authentic debate on any topic should give voice to those whose everyday lives are affected by the issue. Even now, in our modern society, going public about one's private life is a very courageous step for those who are perceived as somehow different and such openness - based, of course, on respectful treatment by the media - is to be welcomed.
In any case Dr Casey fails her own test. She resorts to comparing same-sex couples with "many combinations of adults raising children in Ireland, whether a mother, daughter and grandchild, two sisters, two friends, etc". This is neither reasoned nor calm, causing as it does grave offence to gay and lesbian couples whose relationships are in fact comparable only to opposite-sex couples. In a spirit of open debate, Dr Casey might also reveal her continued patronage of the Iona Institute when she makes public utterances on these matters, given the institute's remit. - Yours, etc,
JOAN COURTNEY, Chairperson, FRANCES BYRNE, CEO, OPEN (representing lone parent groups), Dublin 7.