Iona Institute convention evidence
Senator Norris alleges that the Iona Institute misrepresented research to the Constitutional Convention on marriage equality and asks the Deputy Leader to establish the facts, membership and funding; the Chair directs the matter toward an Adjournment debate.
I ask the Leader to investigate a troubling matter and report to the Seanad. I understand that a group calling itself the Iona Institute deliberately misled the convention by knowingly using inappropriate information. It is serious that a body established by both Houses of the Oireachtas should be so misled.
I refer to page 1 of the institute's submission which quoted a 2002 Child Trends Research Brief entitled, Marriage from a Child's Perspective: How Does Family Structure Affect Children, and What Can We Do About It? The institute cited the report as supporting its case against marriage equality. The authors of the report placed a disclaimer on its front page stating:
Note: This Child Trends brief summarizes research conducted in 2002, when neither same-sex parents nor adoptive parents were identified in large national surveys. Therefore, no conclusions can be drawn from this research about wellbeing of children raised by same-sex parents or adoptive parents.
The authors contacted the convention to make its disclaimer plain. This situation is a repeat of what happened some years ago when somebody associated with the group wrote an opinion piece citing scientific surveys and so on. The article was immediately met with a disclaimer in the letters column by the very authors cited who said that it was a completely inappropriate use of their research material. Attempts were also made to impugn individual members with tables-----
Comment on this
I do as I indicated right at the beginning. My question is very serious and I ask for the Cathaoirleach's indulgence, please.
Complaints were made, investigated and found to be untrue. Will the Deputy Leader contact the convention and ask it to confirm these matters that I believe to be true? Having satisfied herself that this is the case, will she establish for us who these people are? How were they established? What is their membership? What is their constitution?
Comment on this
No, it is a matter for the Deputy Leader because this is a very, very serious matter. If people are deliberately misleading a body established by the Oireachtas with the plain knowledge that the authors of research have said that their research must not be used in this situation. The matter should trouble all of us who believe in truth, integrity and the decency of public standards. This body must be held accountable. I have one more question. How is it funded?