David Quinn | |
---|---|
Nationality | Irish |
Education | St Paul's College, Raheny |
Alma mater | NIHE Dublin |
Occupation | Journalist |
Organisation | Iona Institute |
Known for | Conservative campaigning |
David Quinn is an Irish social and religious commentator. From 1996 to 2003, he was the editor at The Irish Catholic . He served as the religious and social affairs correspondent for the Irish Independent from 2003 to 2005. He has often appeared on Irish current affairs programmes. Since 2007, Quinn has been the Director of the Iona Institute advocacy group. Quinn has campaigned against the liberalisation of Irish abortion laws, the introduction of same-sex marriage and the legalisation of assisted suicide. He is a member of the Dublin branch of Legatus, which promotes Catholic values in corporate business, [1] for those who meet stringent qualification criteria. [2] He was educated at St Paul's College, Raheny and studied at NIHE Dublin (now Dublin City University), graduating with a degree in Business Studies.
He is also a regular contributor to the Irish edition of The Sunday Times .
In January 2007 Quinn founded the Iona Institute, a Roman Catholic advocacy group promoting the practice of religion and families based on traditional marriage. [3] He is the current Director of the Iona Institute. [4]
Quinn supported Ireland's previous near total ban on abortion, and has appeared many times in media debates on the topic of abortion in Ireland, to defend the Eighth Amendment.
Quinn has campaigned against the legalisation of euthanasia. [5]
Quinn has spoken in favour of Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act, which allows religious schools to discriminate, and fire employees who don't match their ethos, which can be used to fire gay teachers in Catholic schools, [6] [7] with the Iona Institute recommending that it be kept. [8] He is opposed to Ireland's Gender Recognition Act for transgender people. [9] In 2010, he was opposed to legal recognition of same-sex in the form of civil partnerships. [10] [11] He campaigned unsuccessfully for a No vote in the 2015 same-sex marriage referendum. [12]
In the course of the referendum campaign, Professor John A. Murphy, an Irish historian and former member of Seanad Éireann, wrote to The Irish Times. In his letter, he described the constitutional amendment, which permitted same-sex marriage and extended constitutional protection to families based on such marriages, as "grotesque nonsense.". [13] Following this, Mr Quinn tweeted [14] "Proposed change to marriage "grotesque nonsense"... Great letter by Prof John A Murphy in @IrishTimes today #MarRef". Mr Quinn was criticised for this Tweet by drag queen and gay rights activist Rory O'Neill (also known by his stage name, Panti Bliss), who wrote: "I can think of lots of things that are grotesque. Extending constitutional protection to all families is not one of them... I would call it 'fair', 'reasonable', 'compassionate', 'considerate', 'respectful', or even 'the very least we can do'. But not 'grotesque'." [15] [16] [ non-primary source needed ]
Quinn is highly outspoken in his denial of both the severity of climate change and the role that humans have played in perpetuating the Climate crisis. [17]
Many of his objections to climate action - from carbon taxes to cutting emissions - focus solely on the economic impact that such actions would have. [18] [19] This is despite overwhelming evidence that climate action will ultimately create jobs and cost less than not taking action. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]
In 2014 he made claims that the Irish Government would need to permit fracking in Ireland to address the growing demand for energy, while also sharing his opinion that the 2007 IPCC report was inaccurate. [25] The Houses of the Oireachtas subsequently published a report into the harmful effects on environment and humans that fracking could have in Ireland, [26] which led to a law being passed in 2017 banning the practice of fracking in Ireland. [27] [28]
In 2019, Quinn was noted for his outspoken comments targeting climate activist Greta Thunberg, using his appearances on radio stations and his social media channels to attack the youth climate movement. [29]
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Ireland since 16 November 2015. A referendum on 22 May 2015 amended the Constitution of Ireland to provide that marriage is recognised irrespective of the sex of the partners. The measure was signed into law by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, as the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland on 29 August 2015. The Marriage Act 2015, passed by the Oireachtas on 22 October 2015 and signed into law by the Presidential Commission on 29 October 2015, gave legislative effect to the amendment. Same-sex marriages in Ireland began being recognised from 16 November 2015, and the first marriage ceremonies of same-sex couples in Ireland occurred the following day. Ireland was the eighteenth country in the world and the eleventh in Europe to allow same-sex couples to marry nationwide.
Jim Walsh is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician and member of Seanad Éireann from 1997 to 2016.
Charles Flanagan is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency from 2020 to 2024, and previously from 1987 to 2002, 2007 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2020 for the Laois constituency. He was appointed Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence in September 2020. He previously served as Minister for Justice and Equality from 2017 to 2020, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2014 to 2017, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May to July 2014 and Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from 2011 to 2014.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in the Republic of Ireland are regarded as some of the most progressive in Europe and the world. Ireland is notable for its transformation from a country holding overwhelmingly conservative attitudes toward LGBTQ issues, in part due to the opposition by the Roman Catholic Church, to one holding overwhelmingly liberal views in the space of a generation. In May 2015, Ireland became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage on a national level by popular vote. The New York Times declared that the result put Ireland at the "vanguard of social change". Since July 2015, transgender people in Ireland can self-declare their gender for the purpose of updating passports, driving licences, obtaining new birth certificates, and getting married. Both male and female expressions of homosexuality were decriminalised in 1993, and most forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation are now outlawed. Ireland also forbids incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation. Article 41 of the Constitution of Ireland explicitly protects the right to marriage irrespective of sex.
Lolek CLG, operating under the business name the Iona Institute, is an Irish, socially conservative organisation that advocates the advancement and promotion of the Christian religion and its social and moral values. It has been frequently described as a Catholic pressure group. Founded by columnist David Quinn, it was launched publicly in 2007.
Rónán Thomas Mullen is an Irish independent senator and former delegate to the Council of Europe. He is the leader of the Human Dignity Alliance, an extra-parliamentary anti-abortion political party formed in 2018. He was elected to the Seanad for the National University constituency in July 2007 and re-elected in 2011, 2016 and 2020. He has topped the poll in every NUI Seanad election from 2011. Mullen is a frequent media commentator on social and political topics. The first National University of Ireland senator appointed to the Council of Europe, he received international coverage for his role in defeating the McCafferty Report which sought to limit the right to conscientious objection for medical staff in the case of abortions.
The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) was an Irish LGBTQ rights group based in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1988 by Don Donnelly, Charles Kerrigan, Suzy Byrne, Kieran Rose and Christopher Robson. It focused on achieving change in legislation and social policy to achieve full equality and inclusion for lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Ireland, and protection from all forms of discrimination. Its board of directors were Margot Slattery (chair), Simon Nugent, Muriel Walls, Séamus Dooley and Dr. Fergus Ryan. In May 2017 it was announced that it would close.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Northern Ireland enjoy most of the same rights as non-LGBT people. However, the advancement of LGBT rights has traditionally been slower than the rest of the United Kingdom, with the region having lagged behind England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland was the last part of the United Kingdom where same-sex sexual activity was decriminalised, the last to implement a blood donation “monogamous no waiting period” policy system for men who have sex with men and, after intervention by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the last to allow same-sex marriage. Compared to the neighbouring Republic of Ireland, all major LGBT rights milestones had been reached earlier in Northern Ireland, with the exception of same-sex marriage. Homosexuality was decriminalised in Northern Ireland a decade earlier and civil partnerships were introduced six years earlier.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Northern Ireland since 13 January 2020, following the enactment of the Northern Ireland Act 2019. The first marriage ceremony took place on 11 February 2020. Civil partnerships have also been available for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland since their introduction by the Government of the United Kingdom in 2005.
Breda O'Brien is an Irish teacher and columnist, writing a weekly column for The Irish Times. O'Brien is a frequent spokesperson for Catholic-based views on political issues such as opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. She founded the Irish chapter of Feminists for Life in 1992.
Katherine Zappone is an American-Irish independent politician who served as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May 2016 to June 2020. She was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency from 2016 to 2020. She previously served as a Senator from 2011 to 2016, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.
Maine Question 1 was a voter referendum on an initiated state statute that occurred on November 6, 2012. The referendum was held to determine whether or not to legalize same-sex marriage. The referendum passed with a 53-47% vote legalizing same-sex marriage in Maine.
Equality Illinois (EI) was founded in 1991 to work towards building a better Illinois by advancing equal treatment and social justice through education, advocacy, and protection of the rights of the LGBTQ community.
Tiernan Brady is an Irish-Australian political and LGBT rights campaigner who was involved in the campaigns to allow same-sex marriage in Ireland and Australia. He was the executive director of the Equality Campaign in Australia, the successful national campaign for Australian Marriage Equality. He was the political director of Ireland's successful "Yes Equality" campaign which saw Ireland become the first country in the world to introduce marriage equality by a public vote. He was the Director of Gay HIV Strategies in GLEN – The Irish Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, and is Campaign Director of Equal Future 2018.
The Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution Act 2015 amended the Constitution of Ireland to permit marriage to be contracted by two persons without distinction as to their sex. Prior to the enactment, the Constitution was assumed to contain an implicit prohibition on same-sex marriage in the Republic of Ireland. It was approved at a referendum on 22 May 2015 by 62% of voters on a turnout of 61%. This was the first time that a state legalised same-sex marriage through a popular vote. Two legal challenges regarding the conduct of the referendum were dismissed on 30 July by the Court of Appeal, and the bill was signed into law by the President of Ireland on 29 August. An amendment to the Marriage Act 2015 provided for marriages permitted by the new constitutional status. The act came into force on 16 November 2015; the first same-sex marriage ceremony was held on 17 November 2015.
Mothers and Fathers Matter (MFM) was a campaign group in Ireland which was formed in September 2014 to oppose the Children and Family Relationships Bill. MFM also opposed the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2015.
Danny Healy-Rae is an Irish independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kerry constituency since the 2016 general election.
Maria Steen is an Irish conservative campaigner. A qualified architect and barrister, she is a member of the Iona Institute. She campaigned against referendums on same-sex marriage and abortion in Ireland in the mid-to-late 2010s and opposed the referendums on Family and Care in 2024.
This is a list of notable events in LGBTQ rights that took place in the 2010s.
The Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland is an amendment to the Constitution of Ireland which altered the provisions regulating divorce. It removed the constitutional requirement for a defined period of separation before a Court may grant a dissolution of marriage, and eased restrictions on the recognition of foreign divorces. The amendment was effected by an act of the Oireachtas, the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Act 2019.
Stripping religious-run schools and hospitals of the ability to sack staff for being gay, divorced, or unmarried is the "best we can do without starting over", Equality Minister Aodhan O Riordain says.
it was pointed out to me on social media that my stance seemed in direct contradiction of my support of Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act which allows religious organisations not to employ anyone who would undermine their ethos.
We recommend that Section 37 be retained.
It is hard to overestimate how radical this move is. ... Think Caitlyn Jenner. S/he would insist that s/he has always been a woman and has no choice but to be a woman.
I think it's very revealing that David Quinn is prepared to endorse the use of the word "grotesque" about gay relationships and families. I can think of lots of things that are grotesque. Extending constitutional protection to all families is not one of them.