Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

If it does not already exist in law there may be a case on Committee Stage to set out the terms under which an official can request the card. Whatever about the 10%, it is unacceptable to expect the 90% who are here legally, working hard and paying their taxes to present their identity card because some official says so. If protections do not exist in law, perhaps they should be written into the Bill on Committee Stage.

I have heard the debate on marriage permission between Deputies Mansergh and Higgins and will have to examine it in more detail. I would be concerned if what Deputy Higgins has told us is true. It would be particularly grotesque if any Irish citizen has to request permission from the Government to marry. When my parents married my father had to ask permission of the Pope.

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