Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

To answer Deputy Mattie McGrath on whether the Bill is rushed, it was published in June 2009 so we are a year and a month at it. There was significant debate on Second and Committee Stages and we are now on Report Stage.

To respond to Deputy Howlin on section 4 to which the amendment relates, under section 29 of the Family Law Act 1995 the same provisions are in place on declarations with regard to married couples. This is a standard mirror image of what is already in existing law with regard to marital status. I do not feel we should depart from something that is already in law and probably has been tested in court.

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