Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Over the past few hours we have had a timely and appropriate discussion in both Houses of the Oireachtas. Many Members have made moving and personal contributions. The fact the Taoiseach was able to speak on this issue in such a personal way is quite a profound reflection of the changes that have taken place in Ireland over the past 25 years.

As Minister for Justice and Equality, it is my responsibility to ensure that Ireland is a country where every person is valued equally and that no one faces discrimination simply as a result of who they are. We now know and recognise the damage that discrimination of any kind can cause. The experiences of gay men before the decriminalisation of homosexuality are a living example of how deeply people's lives can be damaged by discrimination. Many generations of LGBTI people felt victimised and excluded from society as a result of those laws. Today, the Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas are offering an apology for those laws: an apology for the effect those laws had on the lives of gay men; an apology for how those laws made the LGBTI community feel excluded, isolated and undervalued.

As the Taoiseach has said, it is a commitment of this Government to prevent discrimination of any kind. I, with the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, am committed to working with the LGBTI community to ensure their voices are heard and listened to in areas which affect their lives and the lives of their families. In response to Deputy Shortall, I note the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, has begun work on the strategy, which is an important development at this time. In response to Deputy Ó Laoghaire and Deputy Paul Murphy, I have taken careful note of the points raised and the issue surrounding the amendments.

The path to equality has taken some time. Along with the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993, significant milestones in the recognition of the rights of gay people are recorded in the motion, including the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989, the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2016, the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2016, the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010, the marriage equality referendum, the Marriage Act 2015, the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 and the Gender Recognition Act 2015. This legislation protects the rights of LGBTI people, recognising their unique needs as members of society.

I know those in the LGBTI community have had to work hard to have their rights recognised and to ensure their rights are protected. There are important lessons to be learned from how discrimination has affected this community in the past, lessons which can inform how we address discrimination in the future. I am committed to ensuring that all people in Ireland feel they are free to live their lives as they choose, regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability or ability. It is now 25 years since the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 was passed. Our society has changed hugely in the meantime. The Ireland of today is a more open society. LGBTI people are free to express their identity without fear of losing their jobs or their families. We are a young State in relative terms. We are still moving forward to achieve the type of progress that is both appropriate and necessary. Ensuring a free and fair society is an ongoing responsibility for the Government and, indeed, for all of us in these Houses. Human rights must be established and protected. As Minister for Justice and Equality, I, alongside the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, and my Government colleagues, pledge to work to ensure that all members of our society feel they are valued and that the legislation in place will protect all against discrimination.

We can and should learn the lessons of the past 25 years as to how a society can advance to become more inclusive and diverse and, most importantly, how it can be a society of which we can all be proud.

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