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Newly elected Newry City Councillor Doire Finn is bringing forward a motion to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council this coming Monday, 3 July asking councillors to reaffirm their opposition to the practice and to express solidarity with the LGBT+ community.
The motion will propose that council write to Stormont departments asking them to detail what steps they can take to prepare to ban conversion therapy when the Executive is re-established.
Speaking on her motion Councillor Finn said “Over two years on from a promise by the then Communities Minister to end conversion therapy in the North we are no further on from seeing this harmful practice eradicated for good. I understand that the collapse of the Assembly has created significant challenges, but there’s nothing preventing work happening in the interim so that we are ready to ban conversion therapy as soon as the institutions are restored.
“There are countless harrowing accounts from those who have been subjected to conversion therapy about the lasting damage it has done to them and how difficult it has made their journey to come to terms with who they are. Nobody should ever be made to feel ashamed because of who they love and allowing this to continue allows certain groups to spread their harmful agenda shielded by the guise of wanting to ‘help’ people.
“I believe that we all have a duty to speak out against conversion therapy and join the campaign to see it banned and that’s why I’m asking my fellow councillors to send a clear message that we stand in solidarity against it. Despite the DUP’s boycott, we can’t allow Stormont to do nothing while our LGBT+ young people suffer and work must commence now so this long-overdue ban can be put in place.”
The Motion
“Acknowledging Council’s previous agreement to oppose conversion therapy practices; expressing its disappointment that the Executive failed to act on the outlawing of this practice; expresses further dissatisfaction that the practice of conversion therapy remains legal; stands in solidarity with members of the LGBT+ community and recognising the ongoing absence of an Assembly, Executive and Ministers, this Council reaffirms its opposition to conversion therapy and support for the LGBT+ community, and will write to the Permanent Secretaries of Health, Justice and Communities to detail what work can be undertaken by their offices to prepare for the implementation of such a ban in advance of a re-established Executive”.
