Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I join others in paying tribute to my colleague, Deputy Howlin, for introducing this Bill. In the short time available to me, I wish to make a few points that are fundamental.

This is a fundamental equality issue. Having sat through the debate last night, I am appalled at some suggestions that we can evolve easily and comfortably towards an adjustment on this issue. That is an appalling distortion of history. Everything that has been gained for gay and lesbian couples and others has been gained through suffering and through struggle. For example, it took five years for our Oireachtas to address the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the Norris case. I am glad that Senator Norris is here listening to our debate. It took 17 years from the time he initiated his case to achieve the adjustment of it in law in the Oireachtas.

What are those people who will vote against this Bill tonight actually saying? They are saying something fundamentally dishonest but also something very deep. They are saying to gay and lesbian people that they can wait again. I think of all those people who were driven out of this country because of their sexual orientation. I look forward to the day, not when we will have a cavalcade following a bigoted Polish President through the streets of Dublin, but when couples will be able to walk hand in hand, unmolested and enjoying the full freedom of participation in society.

See this speech in context