Speech by Taoiseach Micheál Martin T.D. at Dublin Pride Parade

Check Against Delivery

Good afternoon everyone.

Is mór an onóir dhom, agus tá an-ríméad orm, a bheith libh anseo ag Paráid Bhród Bhaile Átha Cliath agus muid ag ceiliúradh Bród agus an dul chun cinn atá déanta againn féachaint le comhionannas a bhaint amach do chách.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone at Dublin Pride who has worked so tirelessly to organise today’s festivities, as well as a month of events and activities for LGBTIQ+ people and their allies to enjoy.

As I stand here, I am struck by how our streets are alive with colour, with laughter, with joy, and – most appropriately – with pride.

These attributes have become synonymous with the Dublin Pride Parade since its inception, and it’s heartwarming to see the strength of the celebrations across the city.

It is a particular honour to be here this year, on the 10th anniversary of the landmark passing of the Marriage Equality Referendum.

While 2015 can sometimes seem like a very long time ago, we can all vividly recall the scenes of relief and jubilation across the country as the referendum result became clear.

Young people celebrating a future where they could marry who they wish. Older couples, long together, finally able to speak their vows in front of family and friends.

There is no doubt that May 22nd 2015 is a hugely momentous date in Irish history.

After a long and tenacious period of campaigning, it was a day where the nation expressed to LGBTIQ+ people across Ireland that they were seen, respected, and valued.

2015 also marked the passage of the Gender Recognition Act, which represented an important step forward for legal recognition and inclusion for our trans community.

These developments exemplified how Ireland was changing, how we were becoming a more understanding, compassionate, and equal society that all people could be a proud member of.

Progress in the last 10 years

Since 2015, the Government has sought to further advance LGBTIQ+ equality and inclusion through the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy, the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy.

While we must always continue to work hard in our fight for equality, it is important to note how far we’ve come and everything that has been achieved through these Strategies.

With regards to legislation, last year the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act came into effect.

This Act is an exceptionally significant piece of legislation, and will help support our Gardaí in prosecuting and securing convictions for hate crimes which, regrettably, members of the LGBTIQ+ community can be victims of.

In terms of healthcare, advances have been made in sexual health services such as the launch of a free national Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) home testing service.

We have also seen the roll-out of a national Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) programme which has been vital in supporting efforts to reduce the risk of HIV infection.

In our local communities, funding has been provided to LGBTIQ+ projects across the country to promote inclusion, protect rights, and improve quality of life and wellbeing for LGBTIQ+ people.

Since 2020, over €5 million in funding has been provided to 138 projects under the LGBTI+ Community Services Fund, providing crucial funding for community-led organisations across the country.

In our schools, anti-bullying measures are helping to create environments where LGBTIQ+ students can feel seen, respected, and valued.

In addition, changes have been made to the Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum to reflect greater inclusivity of LGBTIQ+ lives.

Moving Forward - The National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II 2024-2028

While we welcome the progress that these initiatives have brought to Ireland, I am aware that our work is far from done.

LGBTIQ+ people in Ireland today still face a myriad of challenges, and the Government is committed to bolstering our efforts to address these challenges and delivering for our LGBTIQ+ citizens.

There are global trends of increased harassment and persecution of LGBTIQ+ people across the world, which make many of our LGBTIQ+ citizens feel deeply concerned and unsafe.

This is not the vision for Ireland that we are striving to build.

Our goal is to build a society in which LGBTIQ+ people can live safe, inclusive, healthy, and fulfilling lives in an accepting and compassionate Ireland.

The new LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy will promote and respect the right of LGBTIQ+ people to live their lives safely, free of harassment and violence.

It will advance health and wellbeing outcomes through improved investment and access to a range of health services.

It will build on initiatives already undertaken within the business community and by employers so that LGBTIQ+ people are enabled to participate fully within the workplace.

This new Strategy will seek to deliver a fairer and more inclusive Ireland, and Government Departments and State Agencies are determined to work together to that end.

Conclusion

As I conclude and reflect on this auspicious day, there are so many lessons to learn from the Marriage Equality Referendum of ten years ago.

Pride is both a celebration and a protest. It is also a promise; a promise that Ireland will continue to be a place where equality grows, where love is protected, and where no person or minority group feels unsafe or left behind.

So, while we celebrate what we have achieved, let us embrace and eagerly pursue the work we still have in front of us.

Tá súil agam go mbeidh lá iontach ag gach uile dhuine agaibh atá ag ceiliúradh Bród.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh, and Happy Pride to you all.