Katherine Zappone (Independent) | Oireachtas source

As I have said before, it is always a pleasure to follow Senator Paul Coghlan.

I heartily welcome the Taoiseach's announcement on the holding of the referendum on marriage equality in the spring. When I heard it, I tweeted that the Taoiseach had declared many months ago that he would campaign for marriage equality and he is true to his word, for which I thank him. This morning On "Morning Ireland" the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources said the Government would set a date for the referendum and campaign for marriage equality. Of course, this is a momentous day for those of us who have campaigned on this issue for decades. I received a tweet that it was an important side topic but that there were many more issues to be dealt with. It is a side topic for whom. It is an issue for a minority and their families and friends. The Government has a programme to support minorities, as well as majorities. It is also a critical announcement because it is the first that a recommendation of the Constitutional Convention will be followed up on. I again remind my colleagues that 79% of the delegates at the convention voted in favour of putting the issue of marriage equality to the people. I am thinking of other recommendations of the convention, for example, holding a referendum on economic, social and cultural rights, and look forward to hearing from the Government on its actions on these other recommendations because, ultimately, the measure of how successful the convention has been is how the Government responds to its recommendations.

Can we have a debate with the Taoiseach on the report of the Constitutional Convention, with reference to its recommendation on marriage equality? I know that a debate took place in the Dáil, but to distinguish our debate from that of our colleagues in the Lower House, perhaps we might use the report as a springboard to feed into the design of the constitutional referendum in the autumn. As all of us are aware, many of us have been active on this issue for a number of years on both sides of the argument and, no doubt, will be invited to debate it outside the House many times. My request is to use the House for what it is best at - drawing on the expertise of its Members to debate in a rational and respectful manner the detailed human, cultural and sociological complexities of law. For example, I want to debate the meaning of the terms "the common good" and "the natural law" and how they relate to the 21st century understanding of civil marriage. I want to reflect on the resources we use to make law, the ethical traditions and the sociological and psychological evidence. The Tánaiste once said marriage equality was the civil rights issue of this era. I thank him for having that conviction, particularly as he is about to leave that office. As I know that there are some who disagree with him, we need to have a debate on such a fundamental legal institution, the human right to access legal protections and the status surrounding what is one of the most fundamental promises one human makes to another. Wider still, it should take in what we want Irish culture to mean. Are we open, respectful and inclusive? I am asking the Leader to have this debate in Seanad Éireann.

With regard to the referendum on this issue, I look forward to rolling up my sleeves with my beloved spouse and partner to take the final lap in our race for love.