Northern Irish Minister: ‘Gay parents far more likely to abuse their children’

DUP politician Jim Wells said: 'The facts show that certainly you don't bring a child up in a homosexual relationship'

Northern Ireland’s Health Minister has sparked controversy after alleging that gay parents are far more likely to abuse their children than heterosexual couples.

Speaking at an election hustings in Downpatrick, DUP politician Jim Wells told the audience, "The facts show that certainly you don't bring a child up in a homosexual relationship ... that a child is far more likely to be abused or neglected ... in a non-stable marriage."

His remarks have led to calls for him to resign as Health Minister. Northern Ireland’s Employment Minister, Stephen Farry, from the cross community Alliance Party said, "There is absolutely no link between the incidence of abuse and neglect and the sexual orientation of parents.”

He added, "Alliance will be looking to raise this matter with Assembly officials and ask them to investigate whether he has broken any Assembly rules.

"His credibility in office has been seriously undermined by these remarks."

The leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mike Nesbitt, said, “"If the real Jim Wells is reflected in yesterday's comment I do not have any time for Jim Wells to be the minister for health."

When news of his comments broke, the minister denied that he had made the remarks and said he was "saddened that some people were trying to misrepresent my comments". However, after video footage of Mr Wells making the remarks surfaced online, he issued an apology this morning.

The minister said, “I accept that one line of what I said caused offence and deep concern."

Mr Wells added: " I regret having wrongly made that remark about abuse and I'm sorry those words were uttered. The comment did not reflect my view nor that of my party."

He added that his remarks were not limited to people in same sex relationships but included heterosexual couples in non-stable relationships. He said, "Where there are non-stable relationships involving children, whether heterosexual or homosexual, the children suffer.

"I make no distinction between anyone who neglects a child on the basis of their sexual orientation."

Mr Wells has previously courted controversy over his views on LGBT rights. He has described gay pride events as “repugnant” and banned gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland from donating blood, despite his department conceding that there was no medical evidence for the policy.