Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I will not labour the point as we deliberated on it at some length on Committee Stage. I find it regrettable that the Minister is not for turning, notwithstanding what he said about the legal advice of the Attorney General. In effect we are introducing an element of discrimination by treating the child of a civil partner differently. Later in the legislation we can see that what we are doing does not have the same applicability in respect of cohabitees.

I believed a fairly compelling case was made in the submission from the Law Society but if the Minister is not for turning on the issue, I am unsure as to whether further debate will be of any great benefit. There is an issue which may have to be revisited at some future stage.

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