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FIANNA FÁIL SENATOR Jim Walsh has resigned from the parliamentary party this afternoon after expressing his opposition to sections of the Children and Family Relationships Bill, which is currently going through the Seanad.
The bill extends guardianship and adoption rights to, among others, same sex couples and updates the law to bring clarity to the status of children born through assisted human reproduction methods.
Walsh is opposing 36 sections of the bill and has tabled an amendment calling for IVF methods to be primarily made available to married heterosexual couples.
Speaking in the Dáil today, he said there are “many gaps” in the legislation, particularly in the area of allowing children born via sperm donation or similar methods to know the health history of their biological parents.
In his resignation letter Walsh said he would also be tabling and pressing amendments to the Marriage Equality Bill, citing his “deeply held and conscientious opinions”:
A Fianna Fáil spokesperson confirmed that Walsh met with party leader Micheál Martin this morning, adding:
It was clear that his position is not where his party is at in relation to the bill and he resigned.
Wexford-based Walsh is known for his conservative views on social issues having opposed civil partnership legislation in 2009 and the abortion legislation that moved through the Oireachtas nearly two years ago.
He remains a member of Fianna Fáil but is now outside the parliamentary party.
He is the second Fianna Fáil senator to relinquish the party whip within the last four months after Mark Daly’s opposition to the Water Services Bill saw him automatically forfeit the whip last December.
Speaking on the Marriage Equality Bill in the Seanad yesterday, Walsh said he believed encouraging gay people to believe “sameness” could be achieved would only cause them “more harm than good”.
Opposing the proposed change to the Constitution to allow same-sex couples to get married, he said he believed the move would change “the definition and conception of family”.
As marriage currently protects the natural ties between mothers, fathers and their children, he said “changing marriage removes that protection”.
Walsh did not immediately respond to TheJournal.ie‘s request for comment.
Lessons to be learnt >> we’re gonna do the same thing over and over and no one will be punished or even remotely held accountable.
@David Lawlor: It’s next time we will have to try harder to keep things hushed up. We have learnt a valuable lesson.
Lessons to be learned, should be fffg new motto.
Ah the aul “Lessons will be learned” spiel. Are they ever though?
Lessons to be learnt! We have been hearing that since the Blood Contaminarion/AIDS scandal.
Is there any big news today that will bury this?
@James Lyons: They are using this to bury all the other things he has being up to..
@James Lyons:
Joe Biden comes back to ireland ?
LOL
Has there been another crime committed inside the corridors of power? Goodness me, what a bunch of lads they are? The voters must be so proud of their accomplishments.
Well that’s a surprise
Definition of Insanity. Doing scandal over and over again.
Two weeks to flatten the curve!! So many gullible people out there. Still.
They are an absolute joke.
@Fergal McDonagh:
the cervical check victims aren’t laughing
Herr tony coming back into public focus around the time of the release of his book. Hmmm. What chapter does he apologise to the victims of the cervical check scandal?
Some just want and want more power , power and greed .. Jesus how he could keep the drive with his wife’s passing ! Pass it to a younger person now . He will already get a huge pension.
Can’t wait to see Lessons To Be Learned , the Musical .
Remember when he was being lionised here on these pages? Remember someone making a mural of him with a superman outfit? Remember him receiving the freedom of the city?
It was all disgraceful then and it still is.
SF made them do it.
in any other country, senior individuals would have been fired. and yet the spin continues, as expected from the featured parties, ‘lost opportunity’, etc, and all that sort of nonsense. #SomeNeck #PulledaFastOne
” Lessons To Be Learned ”
Aaahh sure that’s the perfect name for a Eurovision song that could get us back to winning ways.
@Thom Thumb:
When I was young, I had a dream
And though the dream was very small,
It wouldn`t leave me.
To be a beggar for a fee
To play the poet or the fool
And now you see me.
And now the miracle is mine
And fault and the war begun
And now there`s nothing left to hide,
Still I………
And now I`ve nothing left but time,
Still I reach out through this empty life
Monk not guilty
@Nicholas O’Halloran: lotta people running for the hills I’d say.
@Nicholas O’Halloran:
Look at Da
i bet the monk done Da
Donnelly is a muppet. A fully qualified spoofer. As for Holohan? The whiff of arrogance from him is stifling.
@Kenmark:
he might go for president
“Lessons to be learned” , that phrase is a way for those in power to politely tell the public to F off .
If I hear lessons to be learnt one more time from a FF or FG lackey, I will lose my 5h1t!!
@Stephen Mullins:
and if i hear “Move forward” from SF
@GERARD KENNELLY: You must get tired always being wrong and having to eat **** from shinner’s. That’s what you get for being wrong so change the tune
have your say