This morning, tensions ran high between Newstalk Breakfast presenter Chris Donoghue and Director of Iona Institute David Quinn in what was perhaps the most explosive interview in the build up to the marriage referendum so far.
The heated chat around many of the themes which dominate this vote, ranged from Quinn's opinion on civil partnerships to the popularity of the tv series 'Who Do You Think You Are?'.
First off, and perhaps most importantly the fears over surrogacy were brought up by the presenter:
Donoghue: David you're going to have to let me ask questions instead of just talking. You're against surrogacy in all instances; yes?
Quinn: Correct.
Donoghue: OK, understood. France has marriage equality and it also has an all out ban on surrogacy. The two things are not related.
Quinn: France has a different constitution to ours. France doesn't have a constitution where the right to marry is linked to the right to have children. In fact it's not in the French constitution at all.
As the conversation went on it turned to divorce and Donoghue brought up a column Quinn had written in November 2013, after Quinn said he was not opposed to divorce per se, leading Quinn to call him out for going off topic:
Donoghue: You wrote in the Irish Catholic that strictly speaking, people who divorce, that get remarried, are sinners.
Quinn: I did not say that.
Donoghue: You wrote that in a piece about whether or not Pope Francis was moving - I think it was November 9th - whether or not Pope Francis was moving towards allowing divorced Catholics marry again. You wrote in the top of that column....
Quinn: I can see you had your researchers out..
Donoghue: No no no David, I've read your pieces.
Quinn: And by the way, we've moved a millions miles away from considering the merits of the argument on Friday.
Quinn then went on to accuse Donoghue of quoting him of context:
What you are absolutely trying to do here is muddy the waters to the most ferocious extent of any interview I have done since this debate began and that really is saying something.
He finished his verbal dressing down with 'People should be questioning your interview style, Chris.' The conversation then turned plain bizarre, with Quinn bringing up the potential issue of gay couples getting married for tax breaks, and claiming that marriage will become 'a friendship pact.'
The reaction on Twitter was huge, with both men trending in Ireland within minutes. So were critical of Quinn:
David Quinn arguing that two straight men might get married to each other for tax breaks. Need to lie down in a darkened room.
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) May 20, 2015
Newstalk's @chrisrdonoghue tearing David Quinn's argument to ribbons just now. Glorious. pic.twitter.com/AqC69tvjW2 — Darren McMahon (@DarrenMcMahon54) May 20, 2015
David Quinn accuses Chris Donoghue of muddying the waters in what is great radio. There is a delicious irony in this #MarRef
— Gary Murphy (@GaryMurphyDCU) May 20, 2015
Row between David Quinn and Chris Donoghue on @BreakfastNT is brilliant. Most entertaining shouting match on the referendum yet. — Kevin Doyle (@KevDoyle_Indo) May 20, 2015
@BreakfastNT this is brilliant.David Quinn being brought on a history lesson now howling to go back to main pt-#tasteofownmediciene #irony
— sean keane (@sean_ocathain) May 20, 2015
@chrisrdonoghue You rightly rattled David Quinn so much so he desperately grasping at straws. Fantastic interview. — Eamonn Doran (@eamonndoran3) May 20, 2015
Chris donoghue like spider and fly with David Quinn this morning, lured him in and tied him up!
— Ray Hammond (@rayrosebray) May 20, 2015
However, others were far from happy with Donoghue's line of questioning.
Outrageous interview by Chris Donoghue @BreakfastNT with David QuinnInstead of discussing the referendum he attacked him personally — Dr Austin O'Kennedy (@DrOKennedy) May 20, 2015
Unrestrained & childishly embarrassing hostility from Chris Donoghue towards @DavQuinn on @BreakfastNT. I wonder were @BAItweets listening?
— Tommy McGibney (@TommyMcGibney) May 20, 2015
superb interview @DavQuinn against interrogation by arrogant ,hostile+ignorant Cris. Donaghue on @NewstalkFM.Ivan must b embarrassed #marref — ThinkFirst (@ThinkFirst6) May 20, 2015
We've seen how biased @NewstalkFM have been in the #SSM referendum, imagine how biased they'll be trying to get #FG reelected for #DOB
— Fintan Cox (@FintanCox) May 20, 2015
You can listen to the full interview below.
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