Dublin landmark Liberty Hall unveils banner promoting Yes vote
A banner promoting a Yes vote in the Marriage Referendum has been unveiled at Liberty Hall in Dublin this morning.
The large display is a joint project from the Union of Students in Ireland and the trade union SIPTU, the latter of which has headquarters in the building.
Both groups are calling on workers and students to support same-sex marriage when the question is put to the electorate on May 22.
The Yes banner on Liberty Hall. #MakeGráTheLaw #MarRef pic.twitter.com/BIoTHaXIpp
— Ethel Buckley (@EthelBuckley) May 8, 2015
President of the USI, Laura Harmon, said she was "delighted" with the collaboration, and highlighted that students have been playing a large role in the campaign by canvassing around the country.
"We've been encouraging students to speak to their peers, to speak to their family, their parents, their grandparents on this issue," she said.
"Loads of students are out canvassing every night of the week, teaming up with their local Yes Equality groups, knocking on doors, and promoting the message that marriage quality will be a very positive step for Ireland."
Meanwhile, a new group, StandUp4Marriage, has been formed to campaign for a No vote in the Marriage Referendum.
Chairperson Barry Jones claims marriage only exists between a man and a woman.
"The only thing that civil partnership doesn’t get is the constitutional right to found a family - and founding a family, constitutionally, is based on marriage between man and woman," he said.
"And that's the way babies come! We need to face up to that and stop playing fantasy with marriage, because society will be the worse for it.
"Only no is a vote for what marriage is, and yes is a vote for what marriage is not. When you ask yourself 'what is marriage', you end up with the simple answer that it is the union of man and woman, and that's all it can be."
