Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In the Minister's speech on 14 December 2023 where he referred to durable relationships, he stated:

It simply recognises that the concept of the family outlined in Article 41 is no longer limited to the marital family and also encompasses other durable, committed relationships, including one-parent families and cohabiting couples and their children. In terms of the Constitution as it stands, the family continues to be described as the fundamental unit group of society. There are no proposed changes to this element of the existing Article 41.

On the issue of durable relationships and the implications for the making of policy in respect of social welfare, taxation, succession, family law and other areas, the signal I would like to receive from the Minister concerns the practical implications of the use of the term "durable relationships" for the making of policy. Can he tell us in clear and unambiguous language how that will be inculcated in the making of policy?

See this speech in context