IRELANDS GENERAL ELECTION

I was talking to a relation in England the other day when I mentioned the forth coming election, to which they replied "What election ? "and when told said "That's the first I have heard of it"
So I thought that it was about time I brought it to my readers attention.

The election was announced in Dáil Éireann [the lower house] of the Oireachtas [Parliament]  on Thursday 4th February by Enda Kenny the present Taoiseach [the literal translation of which is chieftain or leader]
Polling day will be on 26th February.

22nd May Referendum Day

On 22nd May Ireland will hold two Referenda on the same day. 

a, To change the minimum age of when an individual can become The President of Ireland from 35 to 21.

Personally I think that 21 is too young and that anyone who takes up this high office needs to have 'lived' and to have had life experiences.

b,The one that is upper most in the news is the Marriage Equality Referendum.

This referendum is being held to make a change in the Irish Constitution about the rights of the individual to marry a person of their choice- a person of the same sex as themselves.

Currently the word ‘marriage' in the Constitution refers only to the marriage between a male and a female, it fails to recognise the rights of the individual. The 1916 Proclamation guaranteed religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all of its citizens.

It is now time to put that right.

I have read the amendment and I have read the Children and Family Relationships Bill and am satisfied that the Marriage Equality amendment has nothing to do with children.

The state of being married does not mean that children will be produced by the couple, adopted or even fostered and being married does not give any couple a right to a family.

Nor does the Marriage Equality referendum have anything to do with religion.

Myself and Mrs H enjoy a very happy marriage and I see no reason why my gay friends in Ireland should not be allowed to do the same, especially as some of them have been partners for a lot longer than we have.