Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With due respect, faith has not always influenced the behaviour of our State to the better of its people. As a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth having to deal with mother and baby homes and other situations, we have seen it to the forefront of those unfortunate decisions over years, and the hardship they caused. I am not sure I buy that argument. I also did not reference the slippery slope, the point being that we as legislators have a requirement to consider those who we may never agree with. We may never choose the options they are asking us to consider. That is not with regard to my own faith or anything like that. We need to give consideration and make sure that view is in the room and not excluded.