Only limited religious freedom protections will be offered under the Government’s proposed same-sex marriage 
referendum, Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said.
Speaking on Tuesday night in a debate on the issue, Mr Shatter said that the referendum would protect denominations from being required to carry out same-sex marriages.
No protection was offered to marriage counsellors, wedding stationers, florists, photographers, church halls or schools, most of which have been successfully sued on grounds of ‘discrimination’ in jurisdictions where civil partnerships or same-sex marriage have been legalised.
Mr Shatter said: “What we propose will not in any way affect the choices of those who wish to have weddings in religious ceremonies or who follow the teachings of their religious denomination as regards marriage.
“They will continue to be free to follow their religious beliefs with regard to the religious aspects of their weddings and marriages.
“Similarly, we are conscious of the religious sensitivities of clergy of different denominations regarding their role as solemnisers of marriages.
“The Government has decided that the implementation Bill will explicitly protect the freedom of religion of religious solemnisers, respecting the constitutional guarantees in Article 43 of the Constitution. There will be no requirement for religious solemnisers to go against their religious beliefs to perform marriages for same-sex couples.”
Mr Shatter also claimed that marriage in Ireland was in good health.
He said: “The importance of marriage to us as a society is borne out in the latest census figures. Census 2011 revealed that there were 143,588 more married people in Ireland in 2011 than in 2006. A total of 50pc of our adult population is married. The figures confirm that we are more deeply attached to marriage as a society than ever.”
However, Census figures reveal that between 1986 and 2011 there has been a 500 percent increase in the number of broken marriages in Ireland, affecting 247,000 adults in total. It also revealed that 456,661 children were being raised outside marriage, which is 28pc of all children and an increase of 119pc since 1986.
Meanwhile, there are now 215,315 single parent families, an increase of 106pc over the same time period.
Deputy Charles Flanagan, the Chairperson of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, who had sounded a note of caution previously about the political wisdom of holding a referendum on same-sex marriage, said he wished “to agree fully with every line of the Minister’s speech” about the need for such a proposal.
However he said much work was required to ensure that the referendum was passed, particularly in the light of the defeat of the Seanad referendum earlier this year.
And he described the Coughlan and McKenna Supreme Court judgements, which forbid the Government from using taxpayer money to campaign for one side, and require that broadcasters give equal time to each side as “ludicrous”.
He said: “The requirement for the Government to adhere to a 50:50 broadcast rule is bizarre, represents a subversion of democracy and undermines the democratic mandate of TDs on both sides of the House.
“We have heard people from all parties speak in favour of a recommendation in the referendum, yet we know that when it comes to the campaign, this cannot happen due to the McKenna and Coughlan judgments. This results in the electorate becoming confused as they are unclear on the questions being put to them and the issues under scrutiny.”