Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“There is a genuine sense of outrage that a Christian business could be persecuted not for refusing to serve a homosexual but for refusing to produce a cake carrying a message which went against their personal and sincerely held beliefs.
“This is a blatant attempt by the Commission to push the boundaries of equality laws to the point where they coerce and suppress freedom of conscience. It is imperative that our courts resist such a monstrous development.
“What makes the offence all the greater is that this case is being brought by the Equality Commission, a public body which is funded by tax payers though the Office of the Joint First Ministers.
“I have today tabled a number of questions to Mr Robinson and McGuinness asking for information about the Commission.
“As it is public money which is being used to persecute this family business the public deserve to know just how much has been spent to date and whether the Ministers jointly responsible for the Commission believe this is a prudent use of public funds.
“I have also asked OFMdFM to detail how much funding the Equality Commission has received in total in each of the last five years and how its funding has been impacted by austerity measures.”