Reverend Dr. David Bruce:

I thank the Cathaoirleach. It has been a very interesting exchange and particularly about the change to the texture of dialogue within contemporary Ireland. The job that members in the room have to do as legislators has changed markedly from the days of de Valera, if I may say so. As a Presbyterian, I am not saying this is necessarily a bad thing, but that is a separate discussion.

The voice of considered faith has been marginalised. I sense that. For a time I was moderator of our General Assembly and was involved in the public square conferences with other church leaders, including the two archbishops and the president of the Methodist Church. We often spoke in the public square together and - I say this as a good thing - we found that we had to very carefully choose our language, recognising that the comments we made, while in a previous generation may have simply been accepted or possibly privately disagreed with, were not the matter for very significant scrutiny. We often found ourselves having to significantly justify what we said. I do not believe this is necessarily a bad thing but it signifies a very significant change in Irish life.

Previously, one of the representatives indicated the number of what he describes as progressive steps that have taken place and he enumerated those. From a faith perspective, and unashamedly so, I would not necessarily consider those to be progressive steps but would wish to offer a faith perspective and acknowledge that from the perspective of the word of God, which we believe to be the Bible, there is a set of public theology principles that are set aside to our peril. I appreciate as a Christian saying this into a secular environment that it paints a large target on my back, but so be it. That is the nature of being a Christian in a pluralist and secular environment.

The feeling of a person, in my case as a church leader, working in this environment at the moment is that we have been pushed to the side. Consequently, the tone, the posture and the language we use must be nuanced and carefully chosen as we speak on this. Therefore, we see this exchange as a privilege. I come into this room knowing that I have no right to be here. I come here because I have been invited. I accept and honour the fact that this joint committee wants to hear a faith perspective. I am very grateful for that and do not presume. I am grateful that the committee has given us the space to offer it.