A Government spokesman has refused to rule out the possibility that State funding for the Church’s marriage counselling service, Accord, will be ended should the same-sex marriage referendum pass on May 22.

When approached by The Irish Catholic on the issue, the Government press office refused to offer a reassurance that funding would remain in place if the Catholic agency would not counsel same-sex married couples as well as opposite sex married couples. ACCORD currently receives funding from Government via the Family Support Agency and Health Service Executive.

In 2011, ACCORD overruled a motion calling on the group to provide sexual counselling services to gay couples, as it is against Catholic teaching.

Any withdrawal of funding for the counselling service would immediately impact ACCORD’s 51 centres across Ireland, and subsequently the couples who seek assistance in them.

The lack of assurance from Government now adds to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s comments that in the event of a Yes vote, Catholic schools would be expected to teach the State’s new understanding of marriage.

Currently the Guide to the Equal Status Acts 2000-2008 states that the Acts “allow people to be treated differently” on the grounds of religion in terms of goods and services where “the goods and services are provided for religious purposes”.