Date: Thursday 14th January

Time: 7pm

Location: Kirwan Theatre, Concourse

Motion: This House Would Grant Same Sex Couples All The Same Rights as Heterosexual Couples

Gay Marriage has been one of the biggest issues in Irish society for years. Homosexual relationships are broadly accepted in Ireland yet gay couples are excluded from one of the most basic and important ceremonies that couples can experience to show their love and commitment to one another. Surely if we accept that two men or two women can be together, we should allow them to do anything that they need to be a ‘real family’.

Perhaps, as is often said to be the case in our country, we are simply too conservative. Trapped still by the Catholic values and view that once defined our nation, Ireland is lagging behind the rest of Europe and the world. Is the notion of two men or two women marrying a step too far for this country? Are we so blind to social change and the development of society that we can see only the church’s definition of a marriage as being the right one? When people’s rights are at stake, there has to be a better reason than religious tradition or the gender makeup of the plastic couple on top of the wedding cake to prevent this change.

Then again, what can gay couples really gain from an archaic religious ceremony? After all, the church for years has persecuted them, is embracing gay marriage simply hypocrisy? When the state can guarantee you all the rights of a married couple, maybe the gay community should let marriage remain as is, and not stage a coup against an age old tradition for the sake of a simple ceremony. Many countries have adopted the idea of a ‘civil partnership’, which meets most of criteria that gay marriage campaigners are looking for, why isn’t that enough? Speaking at this event will be Brian Merriman, Artistic Director of this year’s Dublin Gay Theatre Festival and Senator Ronan Mullen.