The Government’s Children and Family Relationships Bill, which is currently being debated in the Seanad, has been strongly criticised by Senators Ronan Mullen and Jim Walsh. Independent Senator Ronan Mullen accused the government of the same kind of groupthink that led to the banking crisis, and said that the Bill “wrecks the Government’s credentials as...
The vast majority of Irish parents continue to have their children baptised, a new poll has revealed. According to a ‘Family Values’ survey undertaken by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of The Irish Times newspaper, 93% of parents have had their children baptised, with the figure climbing to 95% for parents aged under 35 and 97%...
The Tanaiste has emphatically ruled out any conscience clause for businesses in Ireland such as printers and bakers that on grounds of conscience do not wish to facilitate same-sex weddings. When asked to comment on the notion of such a clause, which has already been offered to religious ministers, allowing them to avoid performing gay...
Less than ten percent of parents with young children have placed their children in day care, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted on behalf of The Irish Times by Ipsos MRBI reveals that for those parents juggling work with child-rearing, a parent remaining at home is still the most common option. According to...
Over 70% of people in Northern Ireland believe it is wrong for the region’s Equality Commission to prosecute a Christian bakery over its refusalto bake a pro-same-sex marriage cake. As Ashers Baking Company prepares to face a court in Belfast this week, a poll undertaken by the UK’s Christian Institute found that, not alone did...
A Chilean cardinal has urged people to “fight” for the lives of unborn children as his country prepares to overturn its abortion ban. Responding to news of the introduction of a bill before Chile’s parliament to allow abortion in cases of rape or a threat to the life of a mother, Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, president...
The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, has expressed concern at the hasty pace of political debate towards redefining marriage and the family. Speaking at an Iona Institute in Dublin last night, on the topic ‘The Church’s Teaching on Marriage Today’, the Archbishop said that “ in the current debate normal parliament procedures seem rushed”....
A case taken against a Christian bakery in Northern Ireland could have serious implications for freedom of conscience, a legal expert has said. Having examined the case of Ashers Baking Company, which faces sanction for its refusal on the grounds of faith to make a cake bearing a pro-same-sex marriage message alongside a picture of...
Ireland’s forthcoming referendum on same-sex marriage should be postponed as it may be unconstitutional to hold it before a pending Supreme Court ruling, legal experts have said. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Dr Maria Cahill, a lecturer in constitutional law at University College Cork said that until a ruling is made on case currently before...
A teacher at a Catholic school in New Jersey, USA, has caved into pressure from LGBT activists by suspending her from her job at the school after she defended traditional marriage on her Facebook page. Patricia Jannuzzi, a teacher at the Immaculata School in Somerville, drew fire when she accused gay activists wanting to “reengineer western...
