Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

For all his faults he could be embarrassed on occasion whereas this new Government, led by Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, appears utterly without shame and beyond embarrassment. To present an amendment of such cynicism is the act of a Government that is bankrupt of any principles.

The argument for reform of the law is as cogent as ever. This is an issue of fundamental importance to many Irish citizens. It is about acknowledging in law that close intimate relationships between people of the same sex matter in life and should matter in law; that love, cherishing, care and compassion between long-term same sex couples have an importance from which rights and responsibilities flow.

These relationships deserve and need statutory recognition. The Labour Party's Bill deals with all aspects on the issue. It provides a definition of a civil union. It provides for a registration process that is compatible with the Constitution. Let us not hear talk about any question that the Constitution will be breached and let the Minister give us that much when he responds. It deals with the rights of adopted children and provides for pre-nuptial agreements as apply in marriage law. It deals with breakdown, separation, divorce, child custody and property division. Essentially, it provides for same sex couples the same rights and benefits that married couples enjoy and it bestows on them the same responsibilities and obligations. It is a comprehensive Bill and it is long overdue.

It is the kind of progressive change that defines the new Ireland from the old and there is no argument for dragging out the process as the Government intends to do. Months, even years, may well pass without the issue being addressed. I remember when the Fianna Fáil and Labour Government introduced a Bill to decriminalise homosexuality. It was a controversial measure but it was supported enthusiastically. It was a milestone in the development towards equality in Ireland but once done, it just became part of Irish law. There was not any fuss. That was the way things would be from then on. However, it left unfinished business which we are addressing in this Bill. The rights we provide for in this Bill for single sex couples are a seminal equality issue. That is how Deputy Howlin of the Labour Party described it in February last and Deputy Cuffe stated at the time that the Green Party believed it was a seminal equality issue.

As every day passes since that debate the injustice to single sex couples is prolonged. We as a Parliament had a chance in February to begin the process to put matters right. The Government then ducked the opportunity by using subterfuge. Now the Government is doing something worse. It is kicking the Bill out completely and that is truly shameful. Now that the Green Party Members have secured their ministerial posts and cars they are happily stamping all over this seminal equality issue which they espoused so avidly eight months ago. It appears the Green Party is in government to save the planet alone. The rest of us can wait in line for justice. That includes same sex couples, ordinary people who work, pay taxes, live, love and die like the rest of us. They contribute to society and deserve respect.

I have received a significant number of e-mails on this matter. No doubt every other Member has received similar e-mails from people who hope this Bill will be passed because it would mean so much to them to have their union recognised at long last. I have no doubt some of them voted for the Green Party at the last general election because they believed that, if in government, it would hold on to some basic beliefs. The people about whom we are talking do not want to hear the spurious dishonest arguments presented in the Government amendment. They want to see progress, namely, for the Bill to proceed to Committee Stage and become law. We in the Labour Party have done our work and enabled the process to proceed. The Bill deserves all-party support. Anything less is just making a political football out of a human rights issue.

The test of a party, big or small, is how it responds when presented with choices in the House. The choice being made by the Green Party Deputies is to run away, yet again. Their defence is that no one will listen to them in government; therefore, they stay silent on the Taoiseach's dig-out or ministerial salary increases. Let us remember that in opposition they said they wanted fewer Ministers and Ministers of State but in government they provided for more. They have done U-turns in many areas. For example, on Tara, Shannon Airport and incineration. The list will no doubt get longer.

In this U-turn the Green Party has refused to ensure the passage of the Bill to the next Stage. The matter is simple and clear. Good work has been done on the Bill and it has withstood scrutiny. No major flaws in it have been identified. The Labour Party is providing an opportunity for the House to introduce legislation to address a wrong perpetrated against people in our communities who are experiencing injustice unnecessarily because the Government will not act. The Bill is robust, both constitutionally and legally.

Every Bill passed by the House has had some flaws which were addressed on Committee Stage. The legislative process allows for this to happen. If Bills were perfect, we would not need a Committee Stage. The Minister is aware that there are no major flaws in the Bill. I have no doubt that in his heart and soul he does not have a good argument against the Bill. It is possible that he just wants to be able to claim in the future that he was the Minister responsible for doing something about this issue. An opportunity is being presented to Dáil Éireann to deal with the matter. Due to inaction, people have been left waiting for too long. Why should we trust the Government when it states it will introduce a Bill at some future date and why should people be made to wait even longer than is necessary?

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