One of the most engaging and heated sections of Tuesday’s West Tyrone Decides debate was the discussion on marriage equality.

Questions were raised over SDLP MLA Joe Byrne’s absence from a motion on the issue in the Assembly on Monday, but it was the comments of independent candidate Susan-Anne White which sparked the greatest uproar.


Standing on a platform of policies she states are ‘biblically correct, not politically correct’, she lent her support to the comments by former DUP Health Minister Jim Wells, who last week controversially linked child abuse with homosexual parents. Mr Wells has since apologised for the comments and resigned.

However, based in Trillick, Co Tyrone, Mrs White was unapologetic in her views, stating, “In the main what Jim Wells said was correct and I can prove it…. Studies show that homosexuals are 40 times more likely to abuse children than the general populous.”

Needless to say, uproar ensued. Watch the full segment below and pick up Thursday’s Ulster Herald for extensive coverage and analysis of the debate.



TO WATCH THE ENTIRE WEST TYRONE DECIDES DEBATE, CLICK HERE