Councillors vote to declare Dublin a LGBTQIA+ Freedom Zone

Dublin City Councillors overwhelmingly supported a motion last night to declare Dublin City an LGBTIQ+ Freedom Zone.

It follows the European Parliament’s declaration for the European Union in March 2021, and includes a commitment to “public policies promoting and protecting LGBTIQ+ rights on the one hand, and explicitly sanctioning structural discrimination mechanisms on the other.”

“The motion also condemned the action of the Polish and Hungarian governments against LGBTIQ+ rights, in clear disregard of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and every other form of discrimination against LGBTIQ+ persons,” the council said in a statement.

The motion committed Dublin City Council to continue to fly the Rainbow flag on the City Hall for one week during Pride Month.

Commenting on the declaration yesterday evening the Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland said; “Dublin City is a beautifully diverse city and declaring it a LGBTIQ+ Freedom Zone this evening 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, 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 was proposed by Labour councillor Dermot Lacey at the Dublin City Protocol Committee last autumn.

Commenting on this evening’s vote Lacey 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.”