Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understood that the Deputy's position on equality is that all women are created equal and that all men are created equal and that we should ensure under our laws that men and women are created equally as well. I did not understand that he had a more restricted definition of equality where only those subgroups selected by Sinn Féin are to be treated equally and it is not a general principle he is enunciating. I replied fully to his amendment. I do not understand why he has a personal grievance about it. We are not legislating in this Finance Bill along the lines of the amendment proposed by the Deputy, but as Deputy McGrath has pointed out, there will be a policy statement later this evening and if legislation is required to fulfil the objective of the policy statement, it will be put in place in due course.

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