Independent Trinity Senator Shane Ross has become the latest high profile politician to call for a free vote on the Government’s Civil Partnership Bill. Speaking during the Order of Business on Tuesday, Senator Ross, a member of the Church of Ireland, said that, given that the Bill was of “deep concern and a conscientious concern”...
A leading Jewish scholar has defended the right of countries to display Christian symbols in public places such as state-run schools. Professor Joseph Weiler was giving evidence at a public hearing yesterday before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on behalf on the 10 governments which are appealing against the court’s Lautsi ruling of...
A Council of Europe report which suggested that the word mother was a negative “stereotype” has been amended to remove the reference. The report, which deals with the portrayal of women in the media, claims that the media portray women as “as passive and lesser beings, mothers or sexual objects”. The report continues:...
Christians have “a right and an obligation to express concerns about the manner in which those who are called to exercise responsibility in politics” live out their mandate, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said. His comments are being interpreted as a rebuttal of remarks by Minister John Gormley who told the Church to stick to the...
The Government’s Civil Partnership Bill “effectively deprives all citizens of their right of conscientious objection” to civil unions, one of the country’s leading theologian has said. Writing in the Irish Times, Dr Vincent Twomey, retired professor of moral theology at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth said that if the Bill becomes law, “people such as registrars,...
Marriage is set for a steep decline in the next 25 years, while the rate of cohabitation is set to soar, according to UK statisticians. The number of adults who do not get married is set to rise by almost half, while it is thought the number of cohabiting couples will rise by 65 per...
There is no right to same-sex marriage or civil partnerships under the European Convention of Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights has found in a landmark decision. The decision is a surprise because of the liberal drift of the court in recent years. Recently it found against Italy because crucifixes can be displayed...
Marriages after divorce are more than 90 per cent more likely to break up than first marriages, according to new Australian research. Cohabiting, having children before marrying, and an imbalance between partners in the desire for children are also correlated with marital breakup, the study, conducted by by researchers from the Australian National University, found....
Just under two-thirds (62 per cent) of voters would back a children’s referendum according to a new poll released by Saving Childhood a coalition of children’s groups.. The poll also says 37 per cent of voters don’t know how they would vote in such a referendum. Only 29 percent are aware of the planned referendum....
Pro-family leaders expect California’s Supreme Court to rule against Proposition 8, a referendum which upheld traditional marriage and which was backed by the voters in 2008, after closing arguments on the appeal against it finished last week. It is expected that, whatever the finding, the losing side will appeal the ruling to the US Supreme...
