Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On a point of order, Senator Mullen seemed to be making the point that, depending on one's personal preference, one should take a particular attitude in raising questions with the witnesses, but that is not how it is supposed to be happen. We are supposed to ask all questions, even questions the answer to which we might not agree with ourselves. We must ask the questions because the legislation will be based on those questions and their answers. We must not sidestep it and hope we will get an answer.

I have never heard of the presumption of truth in relation to a birth certificate. I have looked at quite a few birth certificates where there is only one name, and I am sure many other people in the room have done so. We also know about the figure of 10% that was referred to. Let us be honest with ourselves and deal with a situation that prevails in our society, warts and all, of which there are many examples. Let us not be too prescriptive in the way we go about it.