I am an Irish republican and I believe deeply in the principles of equality, solidarity and community. Those values shape my politics. They are also the values that exist at the heart of Pride. That is why I am proud to stand here today and every day as an ally of the LGBTQ community. Pride is a celebration of people being able to live freely, openly, honestly and without fear. It is about recognising the dignity and worth of every person and building a society where everyone feels respected and included. Tá cearta agus comhionannas ríthábhachtach agus tá sé chomh tábhachtach céanna go dtógfaimid pobal ina bhfeictear gach uile dhuine, ina gcloistear iad agus ina bhfuil grá, cineáltas agus meas mar chroílár na beatha. While we have made significant progress in recent decades, we know that the work is not finished. Many LGBTQ+ people continue to experience discrimination and isolation, and barriers to services continue to exist. We see this in areas such as mental health and housing in particular. Those challenges can be especially acute outside major urban centres. We know that visibility and representation matter. Knowing that you belong in your community matters. Every person, regardless of where they live, deserves to feel safe and accepted for who they are. We should also remember that the rights enjoyed today were secured through the determination and courage of many activists. There is nothing inevitable about the progress that we enjoy today. The progress made to date was only achieved because people stood up, spoke out, demanded equality and fought for it. Tá cumhacht ar leith ag baint le saol a chaitheamh le bród, le bheith mar chuid de phobal, le glacadh le daoine eile agus a bheith glactha ionat féin. Is é sin croílár an Bhróid. As republicans, we seek an Ireland based on equality and respect for all. We must continue working towards that full lived equality where every LGBTQ+ person is seen, heard, protected and valued. We know that Pride is about solidarity, community and belonging. Those principles are worth defending every single day of the year.

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