Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have an opportunity to speak on this momentous legislation, coming as it does after the people have spoken. The people spoke in no uncertain fashion in May. They spoke after a campaign which was unusual by Irish standards in that we did not have the same confrontation we have had in similar campaigns on social issues. To a huge extent, it indicated the coming of age of the people. It probably indicated that the political parties, when faced with the situation, were capable of conducting and encouraging a campaign which was not divisive. I compliment the people of Ireland who made the decision and all those who campaigned on both sides because, in the end, the result was something the people expected, could expect and accepted, and this is important. We must congratulate the Minister on bringing the legislation before the House instead of postponing it or fobbing it off. It was important to make the decision and follow on in line with the people's thinking.

The Government is to be congratulated for the comprehensive work it undertook. This was done by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the previous Tánaiste, all of the Ministers in government, the Minister herself and her predecessor. They explained to the people the need to move on in this regard and accept there are other people who feel they have a right to be included in society, be part of society and feel the same as everybody else. There are many cynics in the country, including some in the media, who constantly criticise and carp about the human failings of the human beings who form the Government and the Opposition. In fairness to the people, they stood up to the task they were given, took their responsibility seriously and did their job. All congratulations are due to all of those involved.

The legislation and referendum represent a watershed in Irish thinking, and this is something we should recognise and analyse. I have been involved in politics for a long time and I have been involved in many campaigns and political arguments. I was pleasantly surprised at the degree to which people were prepared to listen and raise sound questions of a fundamental nature, not in an abrasive or challenging way but in a way which recognised they also felt the issue was something that should be taken seriously. This was a great achievement for the people of this country and those involved in the campaign.

We were all canvassing in another election, a by-election in Carlow-Kilkenny, at the same time as the referendum. I do not know why the rural community is always tagged with being extremely conservative and unwilling to move with the times. We raised the question in a very rural area, and at first there was a slow response, but as the conversation developed there was recognition, which we also recognised, coming from the people being canvassed that they were prepared to listen and to try to understand. When they did so it gave reassurance to those of us involved in the campaign because we had been involved in many other campaigns in which people were not that way involved.

An important element was that it showed great recognition on the part of the people that everybody in society deserves the right to be recognised and included in society and to be treated as equals in society. This was a great leap forward in this country, because it was not always like that and certainly it was not always like that in my time in the House. Great credit is due to the mature way in which the people made their decision and were quite clear and emphatic about it. We had another referendum on the same day, and the same people who voted strongly in favour of this legislation voted equally strongly against the other proposal, which in their wisdom they felt was not necessary or desirable at the time. There was a clear decision on the part of the people to make this distinction. They accepted the case being made and dealt with it accordingly.

My colleague, Deputy Anne Ferris, quoted Oscar Wilde, and it is appropriate he should be mentioned in this context for many reasons. He is the guy who also said duty is what we expect of others but not always and not necessarily of ourselves. On this particular occasion, everybody accepted the challenge and stood up and did their duty.

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