Staff at a Cork marriage counselling centre have moved to distance themselves from the directors’ decision not to provide counselling to same sex couples, after it emerged that the decision has led to Tusla withdrawing funding from the centre. Counselling staff at the Cork Marriage Counselling Centre (CMCC), which is operated by the Catholic Diocese of Cork and Ross, said they would “like to totally disassociate themselves from the alleged policy of Cork and Ross Social Services in relation to seeing same sex couples at the centre”. According to a statement issued by counselling staff, the decision by Cork and Ross Social Services (CRSS) not to sign an agreement with Tusla requiring it comply with equality legislation was made by CRSS directors without consultation with CMCC counselling staff. It is understood that CMCC was in receipt of between €250,000 and €300,000 per annum but that has now been terminated as a result of CRSS’s decision and counselling staff said they fully understood Tusla’s decision to stop the funding. Service providers must also “not discriminate on the grounds of gender, civil or family status, age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or membership of the Traveller Community,” said Tusla in its statement about the nature of its funding agreements with service providers.

Source: The Irish Times October 07, 2018 17:03 UTC