THE Church of Ireland should recognise gay relationships in the clergy, according to the Anglican bishop of Limerick.

Michael Mayes, who was a private guest at the consecration of the first openly gay bishop in America, said he had no regrets about attending the ceremony that has caused a global schism in the Anglican church. He called on his own church to accept same sex relationships as “a fact of life”.

Mayes was invited to the consecration of Canon Gene Robinson, as Limerick has long-standing links with the American gay bishop’s New Hampshire diocese.

He was attacked last week by the Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy (EFIC), which urged him to to cut his links with Robinson’s dioceses.

The EIFC also called upon Irish archbishops and bishops to “discipline” Mayes to preserve the orthodoxy and unity of the Church of Ireland.

Mayes refused to back down yesterday, saying: “Gay relationships have always been there, they didn’t come down in the last shower of rain and the Church of Ireland needs to accept that. There have always been people in these sorts of relationships, so I think the church will have to try and acknowledge that, even though it is very difficult for us.”

He said Bishop Robinson was “innocent of any wrongdoing and he is entitled to be left in peace”.

Mayes’ remarks are likely to spark fresh debate in the Irish church about gay clergy. The worldwide debate sparked by Bishop Robinson’s elevation prompted Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to appoint Archbishop Robin Eames, the Irish Primate, to oversee an international commission to prevent the Anglican communion falling apart over the appointment of the gay cleric.

Eames, the former Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, oversaw the commission which reported on the ordination of female clergy in the Anglican Church, which also threatened to split the organisation.

The Church of Ireland has faced its own internal difficulties in recognising same sex relationships. Ian Corbett, the former Dean of Tuam cathedral and author of a paper on same sex unions and homosexuality, left Ireland for Canada, claiming that the Church of Ireland was not prepared to tolerate liberal views.

On the other side of the argument Dr Ken Good, the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, spoke against the ordination of gay clergy.

Last month, Good met with gay rights activists in Derry who accused him of having homophobic views.

“Michael is no shrinking violet, and has a sound theological sense of justice” said Bill Romer, a New Hampshire canon and close personal friend of Bishop Robinson. Romer, 69, came out of retirement to serve in the Limerick diocese and was recently installed as the Rector of Rathkeale.

“The real question is whether the Anglican Church — not just in Ireland — can preserve unity at this difficult time”.

Dr John Neill, the Anglican Archbishop of Dublin, admitted that the appointment of Robinson had caused difficulties for Irish Anglicans, but said he supported “wholeheartedly” Mayes’ diocesan links with the maverick bishop.

“I do feel that Robinson’s appointment has short-circuited the whole debate. It has brought matters to a swift conclusion in many parts of the world,” said Neill, who is personally opposed to same sex unions.

“It’s not a simple question of saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’, although I don’t think that the Church of Ireland is ready to accept gay clergy just yet.”

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