GLEN welcomes Speaker of New York City Council to dublin

Speaker Christine Quinn Gets a Warm Welcome in a Diverse and Dynamic Ireland

“New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn will receive a warm welcome in the diverse and open melting pot that is modern Ireland” said Eoin Collins, Director of Policy Change in GLEN ~ Gay and Lesbian Equality Network.

“The continued exclusion of gay groups from the St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York is completely at odds with the diverse, accepting and dynamic Ireland of today” continues Eoin Collins, “where people from all walks of life join together in celebration of our national day”.

Last April the Taoiseach (prime minister of Ireland) Bertie Ahern was one of the first prime ministers in the world to launch the program of a lesbian and gay organization (see reports and pictures from the Taoiseach at the GLEN website http://www.glen.ie/events/visit.html. He stated

“Sexual orientation is not an incidental attribute. It is an essential part of who and what we are…… Sexual orientation cannot and must not be the basis of a second class citizenship”

The Taoiseach further stated:

“The most successful cities in the world are those that foster cultural diversity. This success manifests itself economically as well as socially. A Touchstone of this diversity is the manner in which gay and lesbian rights are respected”. Taoiseach speaking at opening of GLEN (see speech at http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/index.asp?locID=200&docID=2542 ).

According to Kieran Rose, Chair of GLEN: “Previously many gay people had to emigrate for two reasons: to get a job and to be in a society where it was possible to live openly and happily as gay; now gay people are coming to this country for the same two opportunities” (see Opinion piece by Kieran Rose on progress in Ireland at http://www.glen.ie/public/pdfs/Taoiseach%20OpEd.pdf

All parties in the Irish Parliament support the enactment of legislation giving legal recognition to lesbian and relationships. Successive Governments have also enacted legislation that has put Ireland in the forefront internationally in legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Contact Eoin Collins Director of Policy Change tel (0113531) 4732603 or mobile (011353)879273341