Sir, – In reply to Ian Kennedy (March 5th), the religious "conscience clause" he proposes is in direct contravention of the Equal Status Acts 2000-2008. Although there are certain exemptions for religious organisations, a normal citizen or business may not discriminate on the grounds of disapproval stemming from personally held religious beliefs.
Mr Kennedy referenced a case in the US, where the Washington state court in its judgment against florist Baronelle Stutzman said that the matter was "not one of belief but of conduct", meaning that she could believe whatever she liked but that she could not impose her beliefs through discriminatory conduct in a publicly accommodated business. If she offers a wedding flowers service to a racially white couple then she must offer it to a black couple. If she offers it to a Christian couple she must offer it to a Jewish couple. And if she offers the wedding flowers service to a heterosexual couple then she must offer it to a gay couple.
It is ironic that as Ireland is freeing itself from the heavy influence of the Catholic Church in public life and the gay community is seeking civil equality, that Mr Kennedy is instead demanding special rights based on theocratic privilege. – Yours, etc,
HELEN RYDER,
Dublin 16.