Same-sex marriage not relevant to most people

Was it not strange and neglectful that the script of Micheál Martin’s leader’s speech to the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis did not contain any references to either of the two referendum proposals that the electorate will consider on May 22?

There have been 1,608 civil partnerships in the four years since it became lawful on January 1, 2011. 76% of these involved residents of Leinster and only 24% (380 persons) resided elsewhere in the country.

The number of civil partnership is therefore relatively low. Experience beyond the greater Dublin area, over these four years, would suggest that only one of every 5,400 persons outside Leinster is a potential candidate for same-sex marriage, given the trend of civil-partnership registration.

Norway, with a population comparable to our own, of of five million, introduced same-sex marriage in 2009.

Norwegian government statistics show that the number of same-sex marriages in Norway in the four years since 2011 is 1,049. This is equivalent to a demand for same-sex marriage from one person out of every 9,600.

Leinster will return 81 deputies, or 51% of the membership of the next Dáil. But if the rest of the country only accounts for 24% of civil partnerships over four years, how will prospective Dáil candidates persuade their electorate that the proposed changes to the Constitution are directly relevant to them and are not a hazard, nor an attack on cherished values?

Myles Duffy

Glenageary

Co Dublin