Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank members of the committee for engaging in pre-legislative scrutiny and the committee for its report which has been extremely useful. This has been a learning experience for everyone within the House and there has been a willingness on the part of the Government to respond to the concerns of Deputies and Senators and take on board amendments. We now have what is recognised broadly as the most progressive legislation in Europe, if not the world. The assistance of civil groups which engaged with me personally and every Member of the House has been extremely helpful.

To deal directly with Deputy Joan Collins's queries, I acknowledge the amendments tabled. Some Government amendments are very similar, while some are the same. While I acknowledge the amendments tabled by Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Willie O'Dea and Joan Collins, for technical reasons and because the legislation is quite complicated, if Deputies are agreeable, I ask that we accept the Government amendments because they have been proofed and, if not the exact same, are in the same spirit. I acknowledge that they were influenced by the amendments tabled by members.

There is a set of amendments with which we will have to deal and in respect of which the term "forced divorce" is being used. The Court of Appeal is due to sit on the 29th. I will deal with that matter further when we get to the specific issue, as well as the issue of medical validation.

Deputies have a copy of the Government amendments and can see the similarities. Some are virtually the same, while others are in the spirit of the amendments tabled. I hope that clarifies the matter for Deputy Joan Collins. I again thank members for the constructive way in which, cross-party, they have engaged in dealing with the matter.