First Casualty of the new Executive?

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Could a DUP'er fall foul of their pledge???

No surprise really given who you are dealing with.  Particularly daft to say it to "Hot Press" of all publications.

The man's bigotry seem to know no end.

/Jim.

A Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive was under pressure tonight to apologise for allegedly saying he was repulsed by gays and lesbians.

The Democratic Unionist Party's Ian Paisley Jr has caused outrage with his apparent assessment that homosexuality damages society.

Sinn Féin representatives accused him of dangerous homophobia and demanded a complete withdrawal of the remarks.

The party is also understood to be examining whether Mr Paisley has breached his ministerial pledge of office.

Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson said: "Whatever about his personal beliefs, the fact is that he now has ministerial responsibility for this issue.

"Ian Paisley Jr should withdraw these comments and apologise.

"The fact is that comments such as this cause great harm and distress.

"They feed into the attitudes that fester and lead to homophobic violence."

Mr Paisley, appointed a Junior Minister at Stormont, came under fire over comments in Hotpress magazine.



"I am, unsurprisingly, a straight person," the North Antrim MLA is quoted as saying.

"I am pretty repulsed by gay and lesbianism. I think it is wrong.

"I think that those people harm themselves and – without caring about it - harm society.

"That doesn't mean to say that I hate them. I mean, I hate what they do."

But Ms Anderson insisted that as a Junior Minister within the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) at Stormont with responsibility for equality he should not have made the remarks.

"OFMDFM has a responsibility to promote equality and protect the rights of everyone in our society regardless of religion, sex, race, disability or sexual orientation," she added.

"This is the law; it is the statutory equality duty that rests on all Ministers in the Executive."

Mr Paisley was tonight unavailable for comment.

[SammyG]

Unfortunately you can't expect anything from a pig but a grunt. He's been a racist homphobe for the last 30 odd years (at least) so he's hardly likely to change now.

I presume there'll be a few on here wanting to vote for him now. 

[Square Ball]

and the chances or him resigning are what?

Zilch, nada, nil

[ziggysego]

Disgusting.

He's entitled to his own views, but with the office he holds.... shocking.

[Syd]

I dont think its any surprise that he/DUP have these views, just a bit surprising Ian Og has went public with them....

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

I dont think its any surprise that he/DUP have these views, just a bit surprising Ian Og has went public with them....

Ian Og has never been renowned for his intelligence or cop-on (common sense not being an attribute you would associate with the DUP!).

[Uladh]

Whisper is quietly but there's a whole lot in the DUP (higher echelons) who'd love to see the back of ian og

[AZOffaly]

Who's that Uladh? Paul Berry? boom boom.

[An Fear Rua]

McGuinness slams DUP gay remarks 


Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has hit out at Stormont government colleague Ian Paisley Jr for allegedly saying he is "repulsed" by gay people.
The son of First Minister Ian Paisley insisted to Dublin's Hot Press magazine he did not hate homosexuals.

He is a junior minister in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister.

Mr McGuinness told the Nolan Show: "Gay rights are enshrined in legislation and we as first and deputy first minister have a duty to uphold that."

The Sinn Fein MP added: "Ian Paisley Jr wasn't speaking on behalf of the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, he was speaking only for himself."


He said they would have to examine what Mr Paisley Jr had said.

"The responsibility to deal with this is with the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister (OFDFM), it lies primarily with Ian Paisley Snr," he said.

"I don't know what he's going to do but I certainly think that we have a problem insofar as a junior minister in that department has expressed views which are a total contradiction of everything that the OFDFM is charged to do in terms of protecting the rights of all sorts of people within our society, including minorities."

Mr Paisley is quoted as saying: "I am pretty repulsed by gay and lesbianism. I think it is wrong.

"I think that those people harm themselves and - without caring about it - harm society.

"That doesn't mean to say that I hate them. I mean, I hate what they do."

The SDLP's equality spokeswoman, Dolores Kelly, called on the assembly to censure Mr Paisley.

"Ian Paisley is a junior minister in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, the department which is charged with promoting equality and bringing forward the Single Equality Bill," she said.

"Vulnerable groups who are potential victims of discrimination should be able to look to him for help, not attack.

"If he cannot leave his extreme personal views outside his office, he must be kept away from any decisions which may be affected by those views."

Gay rights campaigner Andrew Muir said the comments were harmful.

"Our research proves that 29% of young people have actually attempted suicide because of homophobia in society and I think these comments are very concerning," he said.

The DUP said there was no suggestion Mr Paisley's comments were any form of discrimination.

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

Mr Paisley is quoted as saying: "I am pretty repulsed by gay and lesbianism. I think it is wrong.

"I think that those people harm themselves and - without caring about it - harm society."

Some might say the lady doth protest too much. But I wonder how many gay and lesbian people Ian Paisley Jnr actually knows...

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Some might say the lady doth protest too much. But I wonder how many gay and lesbian people Ian Paisley Jnr actually knows...

Some of my best friends...............etc.

He truly is a hateful kunt.

/Jim.

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

Jim

A lot of politicians up here need a good dose of "grow up" treatment right now.

I met Ian Paisley Jnr recently in the course of my work and the guy just seems to relish in being "daddy's boy". Of course, he will therefore not be reprimanded. If he had have been in the UK government, he'd probably have been sacked by now.

[bcarrier]

I cant see anything wrong in what he has said. No different than view of catholic church etc . Hates the sin and not the sinner etc.

Sounds like politics of condemnation to me.

[Bogball XV]

As the great Michael McDowell said "When Hot Press ask me for an interview, I say No" - maybe nordie politicians will figure that out someday.
It's a storm in a tea cup akin to McAleese pointing out how unionists were like Nazi's.

If he had have been in the UK government, he'd probably have been sacked by now.

Like Blair after the cash for honours row or even the invasion of Iraq?
Or Bertie after the, ah feck, too many to start....

[ExiledGael]

Know it's not a great gauge, but on the Nolan show this morning on radio over 2/3 of people who texted in (over 2,000 overall), said they fully agreed with Ian Og.
It's the one thing that unites all in our wee statelet