Kerry County Council votes in favour of marriage equality

18 Feb 2013

Today Marriage Equality welcomed news that Kerry County Council passed a motion in support of civil marriage for same sex couples. The council becomes the 14th local authority in Ireland - in addition to local authorities in Northern Ireland – to pass a motion in support of marriage equality in the last year.

"This is a wonderful step by Kerry County Council to raise awareness of this important issue at a local level. We'd like to thank all councillors involved for their initiative, Councillor Gillian Wharton-Slattery for tabling the motion, and our supporters across Kerry who spoke to their councillors about raising the issue," said Marriage Equality Director Moninne Griffith. "Marriage equality is not just a national issue, it's a local one. It's about respecting and protecting loving couples and families who are part of our communities and treating them as equal. That is why putting the issue on the agenda at local level is so important. Tralee is hosting its first-ever Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride in May this year, and the passing of today’s motion helps to further boost Kerry’s reputation as a place that welcomes diversity and LGBT people.”

The provision of marriage equality is set to be discussed by the Constitutional Convention on April 13th and 14th.  Recent polling carried out by Millward Brown Lansdowne for Marriage Equality found that 75% of people would vote yes in a referendum to extend civil marriage to same sex couples – an increase of 12% from previous research in 2008.  

"In the 5 years we’ve been working, it has been so encouraging to watch public support for marriage equality grow year on year. More recently we're seeing that support reflected not only in the Dáil and Seanad, but also in our local communities, with Kerry County Council joining a growing number of other councils across Ireland who have all passed motions of support for marriage equality," added Ms Griffith. "With the incredible momentum we’ve seen in countries around the world as well as ¾ of Irish people now in favour of marriage equality, now is the time to act.  Ireland CAN be a leader when it comes to equality for all families, by enshrining essential Irish values of justice, equality, fairness, and respect for all citizens in the Constitution.”

“In the run-up to the Constitutional Convention this April, we’re asking everyone who believes in marriage equality to make a submission at www.convention.ie, and to talk to their TDs and Senators about why marriage equality matters.  Now really IS the time for marriage equality.  Let’s make it happen."