Catholic Church must end anti-gay campaign

The Catholic Church's statement attacking gay marriages has been slammed by Sinn Féin Dáil spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs Seán Crowe. In a strongly worded statement, Crowe described the Church's comments as "reactionary and "homophobic" and called on the Church to end "its campaign of vilification" against homosexuals and same-sex marriages.

"Sinn Féin fully supports the right of same-sex couples to marry and adopt children and calls on the government to introduce legislation to this effect, which we would be happy to support," he said.

"For the Church to suggest that allowing children to be adopted by gay couples is tantamount to acts of violence against children is especially nauseating, coming as it does from an organisation whose institutionalised cover-ups of terrible acts of violence against children leaves it with no credibility on this issue.

"It is long past time the Catholic Church started embracing positive social change and ended its campaign of vilification against homosexuals."