TD tells Dáil that State funding for Cork Pride is 'pathetic'

Wild Youth will headline the Party at The Port on the Sunday of Cork Pride 2023 which takes place from July 30 to August 6

Last year's Cork Pride parade. The Cork Pride board has appealed to Cork city councillors for funding for this year's event. File picture: Cathal Noonan

The state must step up to the plate and better fund Cork Pride, the Dáil was told as the current level of public funding was branded “pathetic”.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry made the comments during a debate on LGBTQI+ issues in the Dáil chamber on Tuesday evening.

He was responding to revelations in the Irish Examiner last week that Cork Pride is facing a potential loss of some €140,000 in annual financial support following the withdrawal of three of its title sponsors, and signals from several others that they may also not renew their annual support.

And while the 2023 Cork Pride event, one of Ireland’s most important regional events for the LGBTQI+ community, will go ahead later this summer, the board has said that it may have to exhaust its reserves.

Solidarity Cork North-Central TD Mick Barry said Pride mattered more than ever this year 'given the increase in physical attacks on LBGTQI+ people and given the campaign to ban LGBTQI+ books in our libraries'. File picture: Brian Lawless/PA

The details emerged in a letter the Cork Pride board sent to all 31 of the city's councillors last week as it appealed for an increase in public funding through the local authority to help secure its long-term future.

It said that, given the difficulty it faces in securing corporate sponsorships in the current economic climate, it is facing “its most challenging year to date”.

Combined, Cork’s two local authorities have set aside grants totalling €8,000 for Cork Pride this year —  €5,000 from Cork City Council and €3,000 from Cork County Council — a €1,000 increase on what the Cork Pride board described in its email last week.

In comparison, Dublin Pride receives just under €160,000 of support from Dublin City Council annually.

The Pride flag is held aloft in St Patrick's Street at the Cork Pride 2016 parade. Picture. John Allen

Mr Barry described the combined level of public funding from Cork’s two local authorities to Cork Pride as “pathetic”.

“This is not acceptable,” he said: 

A successful Pride is important in any year, but it’s more important than ever this year, given the increase in physical attacks on LBGTQI+ people, and given the campaign to ban LGBTQI+ books in our libraries.

While the stated reason given for the withdrawal of corporate sponsorship has been “straightforward economic pressures” Mr Barry pointed out that, in the US, corporations have been cutting back on “LGBTQI+ friendly advertising to pander to a right-wing backlash”.

“The question, to the best of my knowledge, has not been asked here, as to whether that is what is going on in this case, or is at least an element of what is going on,” he said. 

Mia Gold performing at last year's Cork Pride Party at the Port. The theme of the 2023 Pride is ‘30 Years On…’ marking the 30th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Irish law. File picture: Denis Minihane

“Big business has shown that it will prioritise profit over the needs of our LGBTQI+ community.

"The public sector must show that it has other priorities and that society supports our LGBTQI+ community.

Cork City Council and Cork County Council and the state more generally must step up to the plate here, do the right thing and resolve this funding crisis now.

Cork Pride recently became the first and only Pride in Ireland to have achieved charitable status.

As part of its strategic plan, it hopes to bring EuroPride — the LGBT equivalent of the European City of Culture — to Cork.

Cork Pride takes place this year from Sunday, July 30 to Sunday, August 6, with its main theme ‘30 Years On…’ marking the 30th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Irish law.

Ireland’s Eurovision representatives, Wild Youth, will headline the post-parade Party at the Port event on the Sunday.