Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Minister on bringing the Bill to this point. I commend her team, who have worked very hard. I thank them for the courtesy the have shown throughout the process. There have been some small areas of disagreement but I believe there is wide consensus. This is an important overhaul of our legislation and it reflects the diversity of modern families in Ireland and the importance of valuing them equally.

For all the confrontation, disputes and so on that take place as well as the anger and passion in the Chambers, at times I believe that collectively we do a good job on behalf of the people. We do a service to the promise of the Proclamation. When we walk past it this evening and look at it again, I believe we can be satisfied that we have moved one step closer towards the promise and objectives of the Proclamation, above all the objective of valuing our citizens equally, particularly our children.

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