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Calls for McAleese to clarify comments on same-sex 'Yes' vote

FORMER president Mary McAleese has been accused of suggesting that people who vote 'No' in the Republic's marriage equality referendum were "part of the architecture of homophobia".

Patron of the Catholic group, the Iona Institute, Breda O'Brien, yesterday said there was "no human right to same-sex marriage", adding that people had a right to vote "in freedom, and in respect for their views".

She was commenting after Ms McAleese told Newstalk's George Hook this week that the May 22 referendum was about "Ireland's gay children".

Expressing her hope that the referendum would be passed, Ms McAleese said: "We want, in the words of the proclamation: 'The children of a nation to be cherished equally'."

However, Ms O'Brien accused the ex-president of departing from the precedence" set by her predecessors by intervening in "matters of Irish policy", adding: "I presume she has a very good reason for doing so but I would like to call on her to clarify exactly what she meant in the implication that people who vote No are part of the architecture of homophobia."

The columnist then said she accepted that Ms McAleese had not "directly" said that people did not support a yes vote were linked to homophobic views.

Separately, the Yes Equality Referendum Campaign welcomed Ms McAleese's comments supporting same-sex marriage.

Grainne Healy, Co-Director of Yes Equality, said: "Just like many other fair minded Irish people, Mary McAleese, our former President has come on a journey of support to say Yes to marriage equality.

"She and her husband Martin have put a great deal of thought into supporting a yes vote, and we encourage all Irish citizens to do likewise."