No evidence that ‘yes’ vote good for economy

According to the chief executive of IDA Ireland, a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum would be ‘good for business’. This is a curious assertion because there is no evidence in any jurisdiction, where same-sex marriage is lawful that it had any impact whatsoever on their prosperity.

No global commentator, such as the IMF, World Bank or European Commission, has ever claimed a correlation between the lawfulness of same-sex marriage and economic performance.

It is noteworthy that Germany, Ireland’s most important source of foreign direct investment on the continent, recognises civil partnerships but not same-sex marriage; while Spain, where same-sex marriage is lawful, is coping with an unemployment rate of 23%.

Also, the State has spent millions promoting Ireland’s economic interest in Asia-Pacific where there are no laws facilitating same-sex marriage and the attitude to it in many of these countries is ambivalent. The ‘strong message’ from Ireland, which advocates urge on the electorate, would therefore have as much impact on trade flows as an exhortation from the tooth fairy.

Myles Duffy

Glenageary

Co Dublin