A Catholic priest in Ireland has kicked off a controversy after repeatedly stating that Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and other gay politicians would go to hell. Sean Sheehy, the 65-year-old priest, has made these allegations from pulpit as well as in media interviews. Opinions of the priest have drawn widespread criticism and has even led to his bishop distancing himself from the views.

Sheehy delivered a homily at St Mary's church in his native County Kerry. He expressed his strong views. Many people reportedly walked out of the church

Raymond Browne, the bishop of Kerry, apologised. He said that Sheehy's opinions didn't “represent the Christian position”.

However, even after bishop's apology, Sheehy repeated his views in radio interviews. &nbsp;He was asked whether he thought Varadkar and other politicians would go to hell, he replied,"Absolutely"

“You had an agenda that was really being pushed and the sad point about it is that the hierarchy was mute: they never educated the people at all,” he told RTE’s Liveline, according to a report in The Guardian&nbsp;

Sheehy claimed that media, politicians and even the Catholic church had misled people in order to win approval for same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

The priest is facing criticism. Some people are calling him ultra-orthodox while others are pointing at Sheehy's 42-years service in USA during culture wars as a reason for his views.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

A Catholic priest in Ireland has kicked off a controversy after repeatedly stating that Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and other gay politicians would go to hell.

A Catholic priest in Ireland has kicked off a controversy after repeatedly stating that Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and other gay politicians would go to hell. Sean Sheehy, the 65-year-old priest, has made these allegations from pulpit as well as in media interviews. Opinions of the priest have drawn widespread criticism and has even led to his bishop distancing himself from the views. Sheehy delivered a homily at St Mary's church in his native County Kerry. He expressed his strong views. Many people reportedly walked out of the church Raymond Browne, the bishop of Kerry, apologised. He said that Sheehy's opinions didn't “represent the Christian position”. However, even after bishop's apology, Sheehy repeated his views in radio interviews. He was asked whether he thought Varadkar and other politicians would go to hell, he replied,"Absolutely" “You had an agenda that was really being pushed and the sad point about it is that the hierarchy was mute: they never educated the people at all,” he told RTE’s Liveline, according to a report in The Guardian Sheehy claimed that media, politicians and even the Catholic church had misled people in order to win approval for same-sex marriage and abortion rights. The priest is facing criticism. Some people are calling him ultra-orthodox while others are pointing at Sheehy's 42-years service in USA during culture wars as a reason for his views. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Irish priest says former PM Varadkar and other gay leaders will go to hell

Irish voters look likely to dump Prime Minister Leo Varadkar from power in an election on Saturday amid a surge by Sinn Fein that could alter the political landscape, even though the nationalist party is unlikely to win a place in government this time.

Opinion polls in recent days have pointed to the main opposition Fianna Fail winning the most seats and forming a multi-party coalition or minority government, with policies on the economy and post-Brexit broadly similar to those of Varadkar and his centre-right Fine Gael.

However, the left-wing Sinn Fein could win the popular vote if the vote reflects recent polls. On Monday, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was polling at 25 per cent, ahead of Fianna Fail on 23 per cent and Fine Gael on 20 per cent.

<img alt="Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c28cfae-9132-4966-8a6c-dd3cf795d5a8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_68.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

Sinn Fein has put forward too few candidates to capitalise, as the groundswell of support caught the party itself off guard after it sunk to 9 per cent at local elections last year. Analysts say it may only be able to gain a few seats and retain its position as the third-largest party in parliament.

Yet while both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael insist they will not govern with Sinn Fein, citing its IRA past and differing economic policies, such an outcome would demonstrate an appetite for change in decades-long centrist Ireland.

The IRA fought against British rule in Northern Ireland in a 30-year conflict in which some 3,600 people were killed before a 1998 peace deal. Sinn Fein's ultimate aim is to unify Ireland and British-run Northern Ireland, where it shares power.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/northern-ireland-abortion-laws-violate-womens-rights-un-body-33835">Northern Ireland abortion laws violate women's rights: UN body</a>

Polls close at 2200 GMT on Saturday and will be followed immediately by an exit poll giving the first indication of the outcome. Counting begins at 0900 GMT on Sunday with some results expected from the early afternoon.

"We just need a change in Ireland, it's very obvious," said Eilis Wall, a 40-year-old preschool owner who travelled 200 km (125 miles)to Dublin from the western county of Clare on Wednesday to join thousands of childcare workers calling for better state funding.

"Fine Gael has let us down and Fianna Fail were worse before that. I'm voting for change," she said, adding that meant switching to Sinn Fein from Fine Gael.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irish-pm-leo-varadkar-to-hold-a-parliamentary-election-in-february-274252">Irish PM Leo Varadkar to hold a parliamentary election in February</a>

Wall said she plans to change careers away from childcare because she cannot save for a pension - the sort of economic worry affecting large swathes of voters who feel left behind amid a boom that has made Ireland's economy the fastest growing in the European Union for six straight years.

Varadkar had hoped the upturn his party has overseen since 2011 and his diplomatic successes so far on Brexit - helping prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland after Britain's departure from the EU - would extend his near three-year premiership.

<img alt="Varadkar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3b73db71-3487-48b6-99e7-00425b674e63" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_82.jpg" /> 
[Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar (Courtesy: Reuters)]

The strategy appears to have fallen flat amid domestic issues such as healthcare and housing. The immediate beneficiary looks set to be Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, a 59-year-old former teacher whose party suffered an unprecedented electoral collapse nine years ago after the government he was a member of had to seek an EU/IMF bailout.

The election could be most pivotal for Sinn Fein, which has moved on from the long leadership of Gerry Adams and is run by a new generation of politicians led by Mary Lou McDonald. The party has struck a chord with younger voters on the defining election issue: the cost and availability of housing.

"We're seeing a version of what we've seen elsewhere, a growing constituency, particularly among younger voters and those who feel left behind that the neoliberal agenda has not worked for them," said David Farrell, professor of politics at University College Dublin. "The gains Sinn Fein are making are consistent with what we're seeing in other democracies."

Irish voters look likely to dump Prime Minister Leo Varadkar from power in an election on Saturday amid a surge by Sinn Fein that could alter the political landscape, even though the nationalist party is unlikely to win a place in government this time.

Irish voters look likely to dump Prime Minister Leo Varadkar from power in an election on Saturday amid a surge by Sinn Fein that could alter the political landscape, even though the nationalist party is unlikely to win a place in government this time. Opinion polls in recent days have pointed to the main opposition Fianna Fail winning the most seats and forming a multi-party coalition or minority government, with policies on the economy and post-Brexit broadly similar to those of Varadkar and his centre-right Fine Gael. However, the left-wing Sinn Fein could win the popular vote if the vote reflects recent polls. On Monday, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was polling at 25 per cent, ahead of Fianna Fail on 23 per cent and Fine Gael on 20 per cent. [ Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (Courtesy: Reuters) ] Sinn Fein has put forward too few candidates to capitalise, as the groundswell of support caught the party itself off guard after it sunk to 9 per cent at local elections last year. Analysts say it may only be able to gain a few seats and retain its position as the third-largest party in parliament. Yet while both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael insist they will not govern with Sinn Fein, citing its IRA past and differing economic policies, such an outcome would demonstrate an appetite for change in decades-long centrist Ireland. The IRA fought against British rule in Northern Ireland in a 30-year conflict in which some 3,600 people were killed before a 1998 peace deal. Sinn Fein's ultimate aim is to unify Ireland and British-run Northern Ireland, where it shares power. Also Read: Northern Ireland abortion laws violate women's rights: UN body Polls close at 2200 GMT on Saturday and will be followed immediately by an exit poll giving the first indication of the outcome. Counting begins at 0900 GMT on Sunday with some results expected from the early afternoon. "We just need a change in Ireland, it's very obvious," said Eilis Wall, a 40-year-old preschool owner who travelled 200 km (125 miles)to Dublin from the western county of Clare on Wednesday to join thousands of childcare workers calling for better state funding. "Fine Gael has let us down and Fianna Fail were worse before that. I'm voting for change," she said, adding that meant switching to Sinn Fein from Fine Gael. Also Read: Irish PM Leo Varadkar to hold a parliamentary election in February Wall said she plans to change careers away from childcare because she cannot save for a pension - the sort of economic worry affecting large swathes of voters who feel left behind amid a boom that has made Ireland's economy the fastest growing in the European Union for six straight years. Varadkar had hoped the upturn his party has overseen since 2011 and his diplomatic successes so far on Brexit - helping prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland after Britain's departure from the EU - would extend his near three-year premiership. [Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar (Courtesy: Reuters)] The strategy appears to have fallen flat amid domestic issues such as healthcare and housing. The immediate beneficiary looks set to be Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, a 59-year-old former teacher whose party suffered an unprecedented electoral collapse nine years ago after the government he was a member of had to seek an EU/IMF bailout. The election could be most pivotal for Sinn Fein, which has moved on from the long leadership of Gerry Adams and is run by a new generation of politicians led by Mary Lou McDonald. The party has struck a chord with younger voters on the defining election issue: the cost and availability of housing. "We're seeing a version of what we've seen elsewhere, a growing constituency, particularly among younger voters and those who feel left behind that the neoliberal agenda has not worked for them," said David Farrell, professor of politics at University College Dublin. "The gains Sinn Fein are making are consistent with what we're seeing in other democracies."

The end for Varadkar is nigh; Irish vote may give Sinn Fein a surging lead

Ireland will hold a referendum on liberalising its restrictive abortion laws at the end of May, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced Monday.

Accepting it would be a difficult decision for voters to make in the traditionally deeply Catholic country, Varadkar said he would be advocating a Yes vote, convinced that abortion no longer had a place in the republic&#39;s constitution.

&quot;This evening, the cabinet gave formal approval to the holding of a referendum on abortion, which will be held at the end of May,&quot; Varadkar said at a press conference in Dublin, following a lengthy meeting with ministers.

He said the exact date would be known following the conclusion of debates in parliament.

Abortion has always been illegal in Ireland and in 1983 an eighth amendment was added to the constitution after a referendum, giving equal rights to the life of the unborn child and the mother.

The law was changed three decades later to allow terminations when the mother&#39;s life is at risk, following public outrage at the death of a pregnant woman in 2012 who was refused an abortion.

Varadkar said debates and votes would be held in the lower and upper houses of parliament, but he was &quot;confident this timeline can be met&quot; for a referendum in late May.

The Irish Times newspaper said its research in recent weeks found comfortable majorities in both houses in favour of a referendum.

&quot;I know this will be a difficult decision for the Irish people to make,&quot; said Varadkar, who leads the centre-right Fine Gael party.

&quot;It is a very personal and private issue and for most of us, it&#39;s not a black and white issue; it&#39;s one that is grey. A balance between the rights of a pregnant woman and the foetus or unborn.

&quot;And it&#39;s a matter for people to make their own decision, based on the evidence they hear, compassion and empathy.

&quot;I want the debate to be respectful on all sides and it should never be personalised.&quot;

The referendum would be held ahead of a visit by Pope Francis in August.

Varadkar, who trained as a doctor, believes the current laws are too restrictive.

Thousands of Irish women currently travel abroad for abortions every year, mainly to England.

In a referendum in May 2015, Ireland voted by a landslide in favour of legalising same-sex marriage, a watershed moment which showed how the country had dramatically changed, confirming its emergence from the shadow of the traditionally powerful Catholic Church. 
&nbsp;

Abortion has always been illegal in Ireland

Ireland will hold a referendum on liberalising its restrictive abortion laws at the end of May, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced Monday. Accepting it would be a difficult decision for voters to make in the traditionally deeply Catholic country, Varadkar said he would be advocating a Yes vote, convinced that abortion no longer had a place in the republic's constitution. "This evening, the cabinet gave formal approval to the holding of a referendum on abortion, which will be held at the end of May," Varadkar said at a press conference in Dublin, following a lengthy meeting with ministers. He said the exact date would be known following the conclusion of debates in parliament. Abortion has always been illegal in Ireland and in 1983 an eighth amendment was added to the constitution after a referendum, giving equal rights to the life of the unborn child and the mother. The law was changed three decades later to allow terminations when the mother's life is at risk, following public outrage at the death of a pregnant woman in 2012 who was refused an abortion. Varadkar said debates and votes would be held in the lower and upper houses of parliament, but he was "confident this timeline can be met" for a referendum in late May. The Irish Times newspaper said its research in recent weeks found comfortable majorities in both houses in favour of a referendum. "I know this will be a difficult decision for the Irish people to make," said Varadkar, who leads the centre-right Fine Gael party. "It is a very personal and private issue and for most of us, it's not a black and white issue; it's one that is grey. A balance between the rights of a pregnant woman and the foetus or unborn. "And it's a matter for people to make their own decision, based on the evidence they hear, compassion and empathy. "I want the debate to be respectful on all sides and it should never be personalised." The referendum would be held ahead of a visit by Pope Francis in August. Varadkar, who trained as a doctor, believes the current laws are too restrictive. Thousands of Irish women currently travel abroad for abortions every year, mainly to England. In a referendum in May 2015, Ireland voted by a landslide in favour of legalising same-sex marriage, a watershed moment which showed how the country had dramatically changed, confirming its emergence from the shadow of the traditionally powerful Catholic Church.

Ireland to hold abortion referendum at end of May

An Indian-origin Irish minister who is openly gay could very well be Ireland&#39;s next prime minister, The <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/openly-gay-minister-of-indian-origin-could-be-ireland-s-next-pm/story-xWbGDzDVBGUtHnVHuHzQsO.html">Hindustan Times</a> reports.

Leo Varadkar,&nbsp;38, is&nbsp;the leader of the Fine Gael political party and the minister of social protection. He is Dublin born, the son of a retired Indian doctor and an Irish mother, Hindustan Times reports.

A new poll earlier this week by Claire Byrne Live&nbsp;placed the current housing minister, Simon Coveney, at only 23 per cent support to lead the Fine Gael party, while Varadkar was preferred&nbsp;by 35 per cent of respondents.

Varadkar was also given the best odds by an online bookmaker, Paddy Power Betfair, which placed his odds to be the next prime minister at 4/11, th Hindustan Times reported.

But a poll of Irish Independent readers showed a different result altogether: 40 per cent preferred Coveney, while Varadkar came second with 33 per cent.

Reports suggested the possibility that Ireland&#39;s&nbsp;current prime minister, Enda Kenny, could step down after meeting Donald Trump on March 17; as he has been embroiled in controversy after an Irish police officer claimed that influential people were being charged with various offences but not prosecuted, The Hindustan Times reports.

Should Varadkar become&nbsp;prime minister, it would likely be a major change for Ireland, one of the last countries in the European Union to decriminalise homosexuality. Ireland only recognised same sex marriage in 2015.

Varadkar opened up about being&nbsp;homosexual&nbsp;in a January 2015 <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/leo-varadkar-i-am-a-gay-man-minister-says-1.2070189" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;with RTE&nbsp;Radio 1,&nbsp;on his 36th birthday.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s not something that defines me. I&#39;m not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician or a gay politiciain for that matter. It&#39;s just part of who I am, it doesn&#39;t define me, it is part of my character I suppose,&quot; he said at the time.

(WION)

It would be a large social change for Ireland, which only decriminalised same sex marriage in 2015, one of the last EU countries to do so

An Indian-origin Irish minister who is openly gay could very well be Ireland's next prime minister, The Hindustan Times reports. Leo Varadkar, 38, is the leader of the Fine Gael political party and the minister of social protection. He is Dublin born, the son of a retired Indian doctor and an Irish mother, Hindustan Times reports. A new poll earlier this week by Claire Byrne Live placed the current housing minister, Simon Coveney, at only 23 per cent support to lead the Fine Gael party, while Varadkar was preferred by 35 per cent of respondents. Varadkar was also given the best odds by an online bookmaker, Paddy Power Betfair, which placed his odds to be the next prime minister at 4/11, th Hindustan Times reported. But a poll of Irish Independent readers showed a different result altogether: 40 per cent preferred Coveney, while Varadkar came second with 33 per cent. Reports suggested the possibility that Ireland's current prime minister, Enda Kenny, could step down after meeting Donald Trump on March 17; as he has been embroiled in controversy after an Irish police officer claimed that influential people were being charged with various offences but not prosecuted, The Hindustan Times reports. Should Varadkar become prime minister, it would likely be a major change for Ireland, one of the last countries in the European Union to decriminalise homosexuality. Ireland only recognised same sex marriage in 2015. Varadkar opened up about being homosexual in a January 2015 interview with RTE Radio 1, on his 36th birthday. "It's not something that defines me. I'm not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician or a gay politiciain for that matter. It's just part of who I am, it doesn't define me, it is part of my character I suppose," he said at the time. (WION)

Indian-origin, openly gay minister could be Ireland's next prime minister

varadkar

Varadkar, News on Varadkar, stories on Varadkar, articles on Varadkar, Varadkar stories at Wion, Varadkar news, Varadkar latest news