"We must celebrate diversity."
Dublin City has officially been declared an LGBTIQ+ Freedom Zone.
At Monday night's Dublin City Council meeting, councillors overwhelmingly supported the motion.
It follows the European Parliament's declaration for the European Union of 11 March 2021 and means a commitment to public policies promoting and protecting LGBTIQ+ rights on the one hand, and explicitly sanctioning structural discrimination mechanisms on the other.
https://twitter.com/LordMayorDublin/status/1536435067056279553
The motion was first proposed by Councillor Dermot Lacey, who said: "Dublin has become a more inclusive City in recent years but sadly also in recent months we have seen appalling examples of
homophobia and violence.
"This motion is but a step in trying to build on the best values of Irish people and hopefully will enable the continued building of a more inclusive Dublin for all."
Commenting on the declaration on Monday night, Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland said it "sends out a strong motion of support, inclusion and respect for our LGBTIQ+ community".
"As a City we must ensure we promote and protect LGBTIQ+ rights and protections to create a safe and equal environment," she said.
"We must celebrate diversity and we most show ourselves to be a strong ally of that diversity. Tonight Dublin joined a long list of progressive cities standing up for LGBTIQ+ rights.”
The motion committed Dublin City Council to continue to fly the rainbow flag on the City Hall for one week during
Pride Month.
