Out Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar
has said that he will raise the issue of same-sex marriage with Pope
Francis when the two leaders meet in Ireland later this month.
Francis, who is visiting Ireland to
celebrate World Family Day, arrives on August 25.
Varadkar, Ireland's first openly gay
leader, is quoted by The Irish Sunday Times as saying that he
would express “our view as a society and as a government that
families come in all sorts of different forms and that includes
families led by same-sex parents.”
LGBT groups have complained that the
Roman Catholic church has excluded LGBT families from its triennial
celebration of the family.
Katherine Zappone, the minister for
children and youth affairs, has said that she will raise the issue of
same-sex families being treated respectfully by the church.
The
Times also reported that it was unclear whether Varadkar will
be accompanied by his partner at a reception to meet the Pope.