Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he believes it is only a matter of time before same-sex marriage is introduced in Northern Ireland.
He was speaking at a Pride event in Belfast ahead of the main Pride march this afternoon.
Mr Varadkar said he was attending the event as a gesture of solidarity.
“I am not here to unsettle anyone, but I am here to show my support and the support of my Government for equality before the law for all citizens no matter where they reside,” he told journalists on his way in to the event.
Campaigners have stepped up their calls for Northern Ireland to overturn the restriction against same-sex marriage.”
However, the Taoiseach was diplomatic in his language saying it was for:
“It is of course a decision for the Northern Ireland Assembly, but I am confident that like other western European countries they will make that decision in due course.”
Sinn Fein’s leader Michelle O’Neil was also at the event which saw participation from uniformed PSNI Officers.
Meanwhile the main opponents of law reform the DUP rejected ‘any suggestion it is homophobic, insisting it is protecting the “traditional” definition of marriage, and has called for tolerance of what are increasingly minority views.’
Full report here at this BBC(NI) link:
https://www.rte.ie/…/ireland/2017/0805/895425-belfast-pride/
Image: Taoiseach attends Belfast Pride breakfast event and meets members of Gardaí-PSNI LGBT Network who took part in the parade later.
BERNARD MOFFATT
pp Celtic League
05/08/17
