The Irish government has indicated that there will be no religious opt-out clause for businesses that do not want to provide goods and services for same-sex weddings
The Irish government has indicated that there will be no religious opt-out clause for businesses that do not want to provide goods and services for same-sex weddings, reports the Independent.
A referendum on same-sex marriage will take place on May 22nd.
Labour leader Joan Burton (right) was responding to a call by the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, for a religious “right to discriminate” for business people who had "problems of conscience" about gay marriage.
Although religious ministers will be allowed to refuse to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies, Burton was emphatic that this could not be extended to business people who refused to sell goods or services to gay couples.
Today Tánaiste @joanburton made a thoughtful video for the #VoteWithUs campaign. Please share her message! http://t.co/M0zaTVp1e2 #MarRef
— VoteWithUs.org (@vote_with_us) March 18, 2015
Earlier this month, a priest in the west of Ireland broke ranks with the Catholic church's anti-gay agenda by announcing that he will vote in favor of same-sex marriage.
In December of last year, the Catholic Church in Ireland released a manifesto explaining exactly why it is opposed to marriage equality.
Watch Burton explain why she supports marriage equality, AFTER THE JUMP…
