Michael Mulcahy (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)

As this debate takes place, the Supreme Court is deciding whether a person convicted under the section found to be unconstitutional should be released. We await its judgment and should, of course, let it deliberate without any influence or interference. In so far as some Members of this House may have made comments, in a sense, leaning on that judge, I wish to dissociate myself from those types of comments. The courts must act completely independently and must uphold the law as they see it. We can obviously speak for ourselves but we must never interfere in any way with their deliberations.

I commend the Minister for acting promptly in this regard. I look forward to a constructive debate on Committee Stage and commend the Bill to the House.

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