Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

We want equality now, but I remind Deputy Howlin that within a year of Dr. Martin Luther King giving his speech on the Mall in Washington in August 1963, the 1964 Civil Rights Act passed into law. Work is being done on this proposal. We will deliver. It is written into the programme for Government for delivery in the first phase of this Government. I am confident the Green Party and Fianna Fáil will deliver on this issue. I must take it on trust that we will proceed with this without delay. I trust the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he states that work is being done and we can deliver this legislation next year. I trust the Taoiseach when he puts it on the record in the Dáil that we will have the heads of Bill within a matter of months and will proceed on this issue. I trust the programme for Government to deliver what is required in the Ireland of 2007.

There are real-life stories. People spoke with me today who want to see their relationships recognised and who cannot wait. We will proceed, but we want to ensure the legislation produced will be upheld in court and will not be vulnerable to legal challenge. Above all we want to extend equality to everyone on this island.

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