Detta O'Cathain
Detta O'Cathain, Baroness O'Cathain, OBE (born 2 February 1938, Laurel Hill, County Limerick) is an Irish-born British businesswoman and politician. She has been a director of many companies, including Midland Bank plc, Tesco plc, British Airways plc, BNP Paribas (UK) and Allders.
She was made a life peer as Baroness O'Cathain, of The Barbican in the City of London in 1991 and sits in the House of Lords on the Conservative benches.
Views
O'Cathain is known for her socially conservative views, in particular her efforts to retain the ban on same-sex couples from adopting, and has taken on a leadership role in the movement which stands up against gay rights after the death of Baroness Young. [1]
Family Education Trust
The Family Education Trust announced in 2004 it was 'delighted' to welcome Baroness as a sponsor. It gave her background as follows:
- A member of the House of Lords since 1991, Lady O’Cathain has fought fearlessly and tirelessly on behalf of the family and religious liberties.
- In 2002, she led the opposition in the Lords to gay adoption (Adoption and Children Act 2002) and defended ministers and other members of non-Anglican, religious organisations from criminal conviction in debates on the Gender Recognition Bill. (Anglican clergy already had an exemption.) :She supported the granting of broadcasting rights to religious organisations in the Communications Act 2003.
- In 2004, Lady O’Cathain campaigned on behalf of siblings and other close family members to be granted the same legal benefits which were exclusively available to single sex couples in the Civil Partnership Act 2004. [2]
Notes
- ↑ Kite, Melissa, "Lords join forces to wreck Blair's gay adoption Bill". The Times, 17 October 2002. (paywall)
- ↑ [http://www.famyouth.org.uk/bulletin.php?number=118#bar Bulletin No. 118 Winter 2004/5: New sponsor: Baroness O’Cathain, OBE], Family Education Trust website, accessed March 2012
