The SDLP has tabled an Assembly motion of censure against DUP junior Minister Ian Paisley jnr over his remark in the current edition of Hot Pressmagazine that he is "pretty repulsed" by homosexuality.
Sinn Féin also criticised Mr Paisley over his remarks.
Asked to give his opinions on same-sex marriages being introduced in the UK, Mr Paisley is quoted as saying, "I am pretty repulsed by gay and lesbianism. I think it is wrong. I think that those people harm themselves and - without care about it - harm society . . . I mean, I hate what they do. I think they should just free them[selves] from being gay," he added, in an interview with Jason O'Toole.
Mr Paisley talks about several other issues, including heaven and hell and his love of motorbikes and fast cars.
On homosexuality, he says: "These are people in a country which previously had a very strong family value and moral fibre - and that is slowly but surely being eradicated. I'm not saying that is all the fault of people who've a gay and lesbian outlook, but all of that adds to the problems society goes through."
Two years ago he provoked the anger of gay and lesbian groups when he described homosexual relationships as "immoral, offensive and obnoxious".
His latest comments are in a different context, however, because he is now a junior Minister in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, which has responsibilities in relation to equality legislation.
Last night SDLP equality spokeswoman Dolores Kelly put down a motion calling on the Assembly to censure Mr Paisley.
"It is one thing for a backwoods politician to go off on an anti-gay rant - Ian Paisley jnr already has form in this area, and we have had any number of DUP representatives disgracing themselves with homophobic outbursts in council chambers. But it is quite another thing when we get it from a government Minister with responsibility in related areas," she said.
"Ian Paisley is a junior Minister in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, the department which is charged with promoting equality and bringing forward the Single Equality Bill. Vulnerable groups who are potential victims of discrimination should be able to look to him for help, not attack," she added.
"If he cannot leave his extreme personal views outside his office, he must be kept away from any decisions which may be affected by those views," said Ms Kelly.
Sinn Féin's spokeswoman on equality, Martina Anderson, said she was disappointed but not surprised at Mr Paisley's remarks. "Ian Paisley jnr, as a junior Minister in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minster, with responsibility for equality, should not have made these comments. Whatever about his personal beliefs, the fact is that he now has ministerial responsibility for this issue," she said.
"Ian Paisley jnr should withdraw these comments and apologise. The fact is that comments such as this cause great harm and distress. They feed into the attitudes that fester and lead to homophobic violence."
Mr Paisley was not available for comment last night.
