Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

That is a miracle, of course. I mention the Act as a legal precedent but I am not further minded to fight the Minister on the amendment. I recognise that difficulties might arise in the formula I used but I am concerned about circumstances where one of the parties to a civil partnership dies before the commencement of this section. I accept the Minister's word that the prospect of this has been properly addressed and that an tArd-Chláraitheoir is in a position to register relationships entered into abroad. This would be more secure legally than the religious blessings validated by the 1972 Act.

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