Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has not answered Senator Mullen's question. This needs an answer if we are to stand back, consider the legislation and say we have done a good job. I remember former British Prime Minister Tony Blair - he may still have been in office at the time - being surprised that legislation introduced in Britain operated in a manner which he had not understood, particularly with respect to a religious community. He stated that the community should have had the freedom to do whatever it was to do but he was told that legislation had been passed which meant there could be no discrimination. On those grounds, he was told it must be accepted.

I hope what we are doing today and always is ensuring that all legislation passed can be considered later and seen to have worked for the community of which we are a part. We want to allocate the time, attention and the commitment to ensure the legislation is worthy of support. The Blair case I mentioned concerned adoption, with the religious body in question wanting to ensure that if a baby was to be adopted, it would go to a mother and father rather than a same-sex couple. Mr. Brair was told that this would amount to discrimination, and the Christian organisation in question could not discriminate on those grounds. That surprised Mr. Blair, who had not understood that in passing legislation he was depriving that religious body of ever being able to say that it could ensure the children being given to it for adoption would go to a mother and father rather than a same-sex couple. I am not arguing the case but we must not let legislation go through without understanding its full impact.