Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I endorse Senator Norris's request. I wish to add to what it is proposed be written to Archbishop Brown, the papal nuncio. The committee should engage with the Irish bishops' conference on the issue. Having listened to Mr. O'Gorman's remarks and having heard the Ugandan bishops' letter, I believe the latter is appalling. I say this as a Christian and practising Catholic.

Today puts life into perspective. New Zealand passed a gay marriage Bill, becoming the 13th country to have done so.

Last Sunday, a plurality of the Irish Constitutional Convention passed a motion regarding civil marriage in our country. This was a tremendous affirmation and ending of discrimination and intolerance. Yet we come back to today where we are given a testimony by a fantastic person of the life and lack of basic rights of people who are born gay. Let us not forget that the allies of gay people are also condemned and treated as second-class citizens.

My first question is in the context of the mental health of gay people and suicide. I suppose Ms Nabagesera can never give us the proper figure but have we any idea of the number of people who have either left Uganda to seek asylum elsewhere because of their treatment or committed suicide?

The briefing we have places heavy emphasis on the fact that the President is opposed to this. I am disappointed that the IPU conference in Uganda, which I attended in the past in Geneva, did not and was not able to broker a motion sending out a strong possible signal of its unhappiness with what is happening and its belief that it should not be tolerated in any shape or form.

I commend Ms Nabagesera and her friends and colleagues. No matter how much they think they are not being listened to, I know straight and gay people within our society and Parliament who are appalled and very supportive of what they are doing. We will do whatever work we can to help fight this injustice. There must be a continual promulgation of the lack of basic rights for everybody involved. I congratulate Ms Nabagesera on her great work. She should not feel she is alone because she is not.