Ireland is moving ahead with more LGBT protections in employment and blood donations
By Michaela Krejcova |
Irish government is aiming to end two more discriminatory practices this upcoming year. Ireland's health Minister Leo Varadkar, who last week came out as gay, has referred recommendations to revise restrictions on gay men donating blood; while Equality Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has confirmed that religious-run schools and hospitals will by Easter 2015 be prevented from firing staff for being gay, divorced or an unmarried parent.
Today's practice allows to a board manager to fire a person if he/she is deemed to actively undermine the moral beliefs of a school or hospital by their private life him or her. Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said in an interview for The Examiner:
"It has a chilling effect when people feel they can't be themselves. In the staff room they have to hide their private lives; they have to hide the fact that they're gay, or that they are divorced, or in a second relationship, or that they're an unmarried parent. Members of the LGBT community and divorcees and unmarried parents will not have a fear of being themselves and being open about their private lives if they are working in schools and hospitals."
With the referendum on marriage equality coming soon Ireland is definitely moving towards a more inclusive and tolerant society everyday.
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