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4May 2015
Agendas rooted in freedom and liberalism rather
than equality are less likely to see opportunities for
solidarity with other oppressed groups. So there
has been little common purpose made between
the gay-marriage campaign and those fighting for
unfashionable rights for Travellers, asylum-seekers
in direct provision, or (most controversially since
they are disdained as being counter to the still sub-
stantially unrealised feminist agenda which like
wise can be rooted in either freedom or equality)
fathers’ guardianship rights, for example. Hope-
fully this common purpose will evolve in due course.
Being moved by recent celebrations of legislative
change in the US and France and an underlying vis-
ceral preference for the views of the LGBT movement
rather than those of the Iona Institute is simply not
enough to justify affording marriage a status it does
not deserve.
Certainly as was recently underlined by Judge Ruth
Bader Ginsburg in the US Supreme Court marriage has
moved on from the era, only a generation ago, when it
was a capsule within which men could treat women as
chattels. Nevertheless at its essence it defines, patriar-
chically and Thomistically, a relationship centred on a
woman’s utility as a child-bearer and primary rearer.
A radical and egalitarian agenda is to undermine
state support – including financial support – for mar-
riage, not to extend the numbers who can benefit from
the unfair privilege.
Equality of access to marriage would extend it to
people in polyamorous relationships, housekeeper
and housekept and indeed to all singles, in love or not.
That is not envisaged so the issue in this referendum
cannot truly be said to be one of equality, either.
Perversely, perhaps undermining it is the best thing
gay marriage can do to this complacent institution.
Moreover, you do not of course need to advantage
the married in order to generously and directly sup-
port children. Supporting children is a separate issue
from supporting marriage. It is an imperative which
the State can address without buoying marriage.
Assuming gay marriage becomes constitutionally
possible, the best interests of the children should be
the overwhelming, overarching guide to parenting
and adoption. There is no evidence that gay couples,
married or unmarried, provide inferior parenting. Or
that well-supported parenting by good single parents
cannot serve the best interests of the children. There-
fore gays should have equal rights to adopt, but so too
should well-adjusted loving single people.
All that said, in a society that elevates marriage, and
where the options are Yes or No, it would be terrifying
to vote against an apparently cherished agenda for a
minority which has traditionally been discriminated
against, and indeed remains egregiously discrimi-
nated against in the case of the young, many of whom
are traumatised and bullied in the period before they
come out. In these circumstances, vote Yes. •
On the article about Aosdána in issue 36 of Village
(See Mannix Flynn’s reply on page 32)
Dear Editor,
In his article in your publication, dated th April , Mannix
Flynn is wrong when he states, regarding election to the position of
Saoi of Aosdána, “Currently, if a position is vacant for
one of the Saoi (Saoithe) all it needs is for certain
insiders in Aosdána to get together members to
put a name forward to guarantee the elevation”.
The procedures for nominating a member of
Aosdána to the honour of Saoi are laid down in
the rules of Aosdána, clearly and unambiguously.
They state that at any time, fifteen members may
propose in writing another member for election
as Saoi.
There is no such thing as “guaranteed eleva-
tion”. When a nomination has been correctly put
forward, it then goes to the entire membership for
ratification by secret ballot. A successful nomination
must gain the positive votes of % of the entire mem-
bership plus one.
Mannix Flynn’s contention that this process can be hijacked in
secret by what he calls “certain insiders” is therefore factually
wrong.
Having been a member of the Toscaireacht (Steering Commit-
tee), from to Mannix Flynn is, or should be, familiar
with the rules of the body.
The current Saoithe were nominated by a very wide range of
members. At a conservative estimate, more than half of the mem-
bers have been involved in these nominations. Mannix Flynn’s
definition of “certain insiders” is, therefore a most peculiar one.
Mannix Flynn’s motion before the last General Assembly pro-
posed that, on a vacancy arising, the Toscaireacht should advise all
members that a vacancy exists. The fact is that both the Registrar
of Aosdána and the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon issue con-
dolence notices to all members when a Saoi dies. Given the status of
the Saoithe as artists, there is invariably extensive media coverage
of the death.
Mannix Flynn is extremely economical with the facts when he
refers to the contribution of our member Theo Dorgan to the
debate on Mannix Flynn’s motion at the General Assembly.
Theo Dorgan, as the minutes show, made the larger point that the
honour of Saoi is conferred to acknowledge the work of the most
gifted of our artists. Theo Dorgan’s view was that, as an honour
freely conferred by the membership, it would be inappropriate to
make the position of Saoi the subject of a competitive election with
multiple candidates, which was the thrust of Mannix Flynn’s
motion. It would be equally inappropriate, for example, to institute
competitive elections for the honour of Freedom of Cities of Dublin,
Belfast, Cork etc. Honours are properly, freely given – neither
sought nor competed for.
Mannix Flynn put his motion before the General Assembly and,
following a full and open debate, his motion was put to the meet-
ing; it was overwhelmingly rejected.
Yours faithfully,
Mary FitzGerald,
Chair of the Toscaireacht,
Aosdána,
Merrion Square, Dublin
May 2015
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