Same-sex marriage - Convention vote can’t be ignored

After the weekend constitutional convention voted in favour — a 79% endorsement — of extending civil marriage rights to same-sex couples, conservative senator Rónán Mullen suggested that the integrity of the convention had been compromised because the debate was a “flawed process”.

Presumably he might regard the process as a little less flawed if it concurred with his own, narrow world view. His Pavlovian efforts to undermine the process, little more than a talking shop empowered to make recommendations government can ignore or act on, can be seen for what they really are and are already, thankfully, irrelevant. That he, usually a voice for unwavering Catholicism, should berate lobbyists for bringing pressure to bear — if they did so — is utterly laughable considering the intimidation, and that is indeed the right word, of so many Dáil deputies by “pro-life” telephone campaigns.

In response, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said he does not envisage any difficulties in holding a referendum on same-sex marriage. That position was echoed by Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence Alan Shatter who said there was a “reasonable prospect” that the Government would decide to hold a referendum before the next election.