Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I am honoured and privileged to move the Second Reading of the Civil Unions Bill in my name and supported by the Labour Party. I am proud to introduce this measure to the Dáil and to seek the support of Deputies of all parties and none for its enactment because it is a basic human rights measure.

The purpose of the Bill is to provide for the recognition and legal registration of civil unions. Civil union is defined as a conjugal status relationship "by virtue of which two persons of the same sex as each other receive the benefits and protections, and are subject to the responsibilities, of parties to a marriage".

Many Irish citizens in stable long-term partnerships are denied legal recognition and the protections and rights of loving couples by virtue of their gender. Irish society has progressed a long way. Today, most citizens would have no difficulty in supporting the provisions of this Bill and taking this major step to ensuring legal equality for all Irish citizens.

On my way into the House, I was handed the Government amendment. Last week, I spoke to the Government and Progressive Democrats Whips and asked that, on the basis of my understanding of consensus on this issue, the Bill should be allowed to pass Second Stage and that if there was a difficulty with any provision, we could address it on Committee Stage. The House could unite in a simple measure to advance equality, as we have done previously. Quite frankly, I regard the amendment as little short of shameful because the Government does not have the guts to oppose the measure in the House. Instead, it has tabled a reasoned amendment that passes the Bill notionally. It states that the Bill will be read a second time in six months, knowing full well that this Dáil does not have six months——

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