THE Civil Partnership Bill The government and our T.D's refused to listen to the many voices raised in opposition to the Civil Partnership Bill and the virtual silence of the media on the matter allowed this Bill to pass unimpeded through the Dail and the Seanad in July 2010. In 2005 161,142 petitions were sent to the Oireachtas committee all in opposition to same-sex unions, yet certain sections of the media and indeed the government itself refused to recognise this fact and made statements that the majority of the Irish people agreed with same-sex unions, which of course is untrue.
RENEW Founder Mary Doherty on RTE's Frontline Show
Mary Doherty has appeared as an audience contributor on RTE's Frontline Show with Pat Kenny. (Monday, 7th December). The subject for discussion was the fallout from the recent Murphy Report investigating clerical sexual abuse in the Dublin Diocese. Mary outlined her disgust at the appalling abuse carried out by members of the Dublin Diocese but appealed to the Church to remain relevant to modern society. Mary insisted that the Church has a place in modern Ireland but work needs to be done by the leaders in the Church to regain public confidence. RENEW met with Minister Eamon Ryan On 17th February 2010 a group of 50 or more people some from various groups, individuals and concerned parents met with the Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan and Ciaran Cuffe TD to express their concern in regard to the Civil Partnership Bill and called for the scrapping of the Bill because of the damaging consequences it will have for future generations.