Sir, – As a long-term observer of Irish referendums, I am always amazed at the ability of the debate to focus on an irrelevant issue.
It seems clear that some of those opposing the marriage referendum are intent on fighting the issue as one related to children. I know of many gay couples, predominantly male but some female. Some of the female couples have children. I don’t think any of the male couples do. The proponents of the referendum might be able to provide some facts on this issue.
In any event, whether this referendum is passed or not, these couples will continue to have those children (or not as the case may be).
If anything, a failure to adopt the referendum seems harmful to those children, as it possibly threatens the stability of the parental relationship and certainly fuels the notion that their parents’ relationship is somehow “second class”. The Bill being progressed by the Oireachtas (as one of many issues) is an attempt to regularise the relationship of the child to those parents. If the No campaign has a problem with that Bill, they should be writing to their TDs, but it is really not a referendum issue.
There also appears to be an obsession with gay adoption. The reports of the Adoption Authority suggests that in every year this century through 2013 fewer than 300 adoptions have taken place, with an apparent downward trend.
I would also infer from the reports that many of those adoptions involve a blood relationship with one of the adoptive parents.
I very much doubt that adoptions by same-sex married couples will become a feature of the future other than as a rarity. In any event, it also seems to be a matter for legislation.
The other argument I discern is that in some way the fact that same-sex couples can get married will dissuade opposite-sex couples from marriage and therefore we either will not have any children or more will be born outside marriage. Same-sex couples have been a feature of the landscape for some time and I do not think there is any evidence that the popularity of marriage and having children is falling off. The argument seems to me lacking in substance.
Can we please get the debate back to the core issue as to whether it is appropriate that two men or two women be permitted to get married. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN HENEGHAN,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – I am surprised by the claims of Senator Ronan Mullen during an interview on The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast (March 11th) that members of the media are participating in groupthink with regard to the forthcoming referendum.
This echoes his concurrent statements in the Seanad that members of the political establishment are doing the groupthink thing too because they “simply dare not speak out”. My surprise comes from having listened to him often call for us all to respect each other in this debate. I would think it disrespectful to name church and religious figures as participating in groupthink, because it is language that denigrates as well as sidesteps debate on the substantive issues.
Mr Mullen also says that he looks forward to a more balanced debate as the referendum approaches, and that it has been “all emotionalism” up to now.
In my view this is a debate that calls upon all dimensions of human intelligence – emotional, spiritual and rational. I think that this is the debate that we are having now in the public domain and at dinner tables up and down the country.
As for the future, would Mr Mullen like to meet me on the public debate trail? For that matter, I would be keen also to participate in a respectful and public debate with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin as well. – Yours, etc,
KATHERINE ZAPPONE,
Seanad Éireann,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2.