Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join previous speakers in congratulating the Minister and her officials on quickly progressing this legislation. I celebrate the fact that the House will soon pass legislation that will enable all citizens to marry equally. I also join previous speakers in urging the Minister to pay careful attention to the debate. I campaigned for a "Yes" vote in the referendum on the basis that there is a difference between civil partnership and marriage. The Law Society, for example, released a statement pointing out some 1,000 legal differences between marriage and civil partnership. However, we are abolishing civil partnership for everybody on the basis that marriage and civil partnership are the same, in which case I must ask whether we were all wrong. I do not believe we were wrong.

The Bill will move to the Seanad. I ask the Minister to outline to the Upper House the progress made in ensuring people can get married on Saturdays and Sundays, because progress needs to be made on this issue.

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