Bakeries entitled to refuse political slogans

Dear Editor, Changing any law, or Constitution, or State policy, like an election, means an open political debate – no matter what the content – any firm or citizen may freely choose to fund or ignore or aid or oppose any proposal or candidate. So how can any bakery firm be conscripted to provide a cake with any political slogan, when they are always fully entitled to oppose that slogan or any other slogan or candidate, be that slogan ‘State pensions for convicted Provo IRA veterans’ or ‘Support gay marriage’, or ‘State must prohibit alcohol’, or ‘Govt must permit fox hunting’ or ‘Legalise heroin’.

All persons have equal rights and are protected, but not any of their ideals or slogans. All ideas, systems, and structures are, and must remain, open to robust and unfettered public debate.

Yours etc.,

Tom Carew, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.