The Dáil will hear the motion at 6pm today
An hisatoric announcement is set to take place later today, when the Government apologises to men who were convicted of engaging in consensual same-sex activity prior to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1993.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is expected to officially apologise to the gay men who were convicted under historic legislation.
It's reported the motion will call on the Houses of the Oireachtas to acknowledge the laws were discriminatory and caused harm to those affected. While they also had a “significant chilling effect” on the LGBT community.
It will also acknowledge the “hurt and the harm caused” to those who were deterred by the laws from being open and honest about their identity with their family and in society.
Labour Senator Ged Nash initiated the motion, and he said it, “represents an important reckoning with our past”.
He also added: “The State inherited draconian laws we applied over many decades to persecute and prosecute gay men merely for being who they were. It took until 1993 for Irish law makers to show the moral courage to banish these cruel, antiquated and inhumane laws from our statute books.
''Apart altogether from those who were convicted of offences that no longer exist, the chilling effect of having such harsh and discriminatory laws in place had a negative impact on progress towards equality for the LGBTI community.
''Incalculable harm and hurt was caused to countless thousands of citizens of this Republic who were deterred by those laws from being open and honest about their identity with themselves, their family and with society.
The Dáil will hear the motion at 6pm today.
