The Strabane Chronicle reports that DUP councillor Thomas Kerrigan slammed homosexuality for being “sinful” and says that it can be “cured with prayer”.

DUP Cllr Thomas Kerrigan, the Deputy-Chair of Derry and Strabane District Council made the controversial comments last week, after the Northern Ireland Assembly voted in favour of same-sex marriage. However, the motion failed due to a Democratic Union Party petition of concern.

Kerrigan said that anyone “caught up in” homosexuality can be cured through prayer, and compared gay people to drug addicts.
“The power of prayer can change things. People have been cured of drug addiction through prayer and it is a good thing that church leaders have come out and commended the actions and fearlessly supported the stand our party has taken.

“It is good that someone will take a stand for the individuals who know that the type of thing that is happening is sinful and this is one of those things that we have to say is there any way forward to help the people who have got themselves caught up in this?

“A sin in the Lord’s time is still a sin in our time,” he added.

“I certainly pray for these people and for the parents- I know it is sad when any one family member has strayed away on a different walk of life and I believe you don’t cast them off, you take them in and comfort them and pray.”

Malachai O’Hara, from The Rainbow Project, slammed the councillor calling his comments “nonsense”.
“It is ill-informed nonsense. It is hugely disappointing . This is a man who is Deputy Mayor and Derry and Strabane and is expected to act as a representative of everybody, including LGBT people.”