The Iona Institute is a socially conservative, Christian, advocacy group, frequently described as a Catholic pressure group based in Ireland. Founded by columnist David Quinn, it was launched publicly in 2007. Iona promotes conservative Christian values and opposes abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage and civil partnerships. It takes the view that crime is rising, family breakdown is increasing, and that drug abuse and other social problems are caused by fewer people obtaining opposite-sex marriages and participating in organised religion. The institute has released a number of reports and has also hosted talks in support of its aims. Quinn and other prominent members have weekly columns in Ireland's mainstream press. In 2022, Iona was included in a list of extremist groups by the Global Project against Hate and Extremism, for which Iona was reportedly "consider[ing] legal action". Patrons Its members (described as patrons) are the psychiatrist Patricia Casey, columnist Breda O'Brien, Roman Catholic priest Vincent Twomey, and Church of Ireland bishop Ken Clarke. Dr. Angelo Bottone serves as a part-time research officer for the institute. Status "The Iona Institute" is a trading name of Lolek Ltd, a private limited company incorporated in Ireland in August 2006. Whereas "Institute" is a restricted term in the UK, it is not in Ireland. The use of "institute" has been challenged by notable public commentators such as Graham Norton who said "it is just a feeble attempt to give themselves a veneer of considered intellectual respectability." David Norris referred to "the so-called Iona Institute" as "an unelected, unrepresentative group of reactionary, right-wing, religiously motivated people". Iona is commonly described as Catholic, though its spokespeople deny this. In 2013, Patricia Casey denied it was specifically Catholic or Christian, saying "We support the role of religion in society but we're not a religiously-based organisation." In 2014, John Murray said that the Church of Ireland bishop Ken Clarke's becoming a patron proved Iona's stances were "not specific to any particular Christian denomination." Iona is a registered charity, using the category of "advancement of religion" to qualify. This has also been challenged by David Norris who said "It is the most ideologically driven group I have come across and it is not a charity. I would be very interested to know how it receives charitable status for such a campaigning political group?" Opponents argued that Iona's activities were political and that it was therefore legally required to register with the