Martin: Taoiseach blocking gay marriage to stave off referendum
Party leader Micheál Martin said referring the matter to a constitutional convention was a delaying tactic as he ridiculed the Taoiseach’s refusal to say where he stands on the issue.
Mr Martin accused the Taoiseach of failing to provide leadership by not stating his view on the emotive matter until a Constitutional Convention discusses it.
“I do not need a random selection of citizens to tell me whether I favour marriage equality. It is a matter on which the Oireachtas could decide tomorrow morning,” Mr Martin told the Dáil.
“This is something on which every citizen has the right to decide. They will not be told or given recommendations on this issue by a random selection of citizens. This is not the type of issue that lends itself to this determination. Governments must lead on these fundamental issues.”
He said the Taoiseach’s aim was to tie gay marriage up in the convention so there would be no time to hold a referendum before the next scheduled general election in 2016, and contrasted Mr Kenny’s stance with that of Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore who said the matter was “the civil rights issue of this generation”.
Mr Kenny insisted that as head of government it would not be appropriate for him to come down on one side or the other at this stage. “If Deputy Martin thinks he can stand up and ask my view on this, we are speaking about the Constitution and it is a matter for each individual citizen,” he said as he insisted Fine Gael had pushed forward the issue of civil partnership.
The row came as Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said a constitutional referendum would be needed on the issue. He said the Constitution defined marriage, and that in order to have full gay marriage a referendum would be required.
Fine Gael Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has said he would “probably” support a constitutional amendment on the issue.
On Monday night, Cork City Council became the first local authority in Ireland to support gay marriage after a unanimous vote.
