Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

I begin by thanking the Minister, Deputy Foley, for her leadership and stewardship of the Department. Her last remarks clarify her position in terms of her commitment to equality. I thank her for that. I also pay tribute to the former Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, who is in the House this afternoon, for his leadership and courage as a Minister, but also for going to Budapest Pride. He sent a clear message on behalf of us all about the need for strong leadership. I thank him for that and déanaim comhghairdeas leis.

This is a very important debate because through celebrating pride, we recognise that we are ten years on from marriage equality at one level and have made significant progress, while recognising that significant challenges remain. As the Minister said, it is not just about laws; it is about our attitudes, our words, our spaces and our commitment as members of civic society.

On behalf of Cork, I wish all Members of the House a happy Cork Pride, which begins next weekend. I thank Deputy Rice, who was a former chief executive of the Cork Gay Project. Cork Pride is different in that it happens at a different time to other parts of the world. It will be held during the August bank holiday weekend. It is an important visible piece on what we do as a city as part of the rainbow city. It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to the late Siobhán O'Dowd for her Trojan work and leadership as an advocate, activist and human rights champion. She was a person who strove to do what the Minister said, to make our world a better place for all of us, whether it was the most vulnerable LGBT people, or the people she met in every part of her daily work.

For many of us who were part of the campaign for marriage equality, it is probably still hard to believe that we voted in a plurality in the way we did. We are also very fortunate that in the Houses of the Oireachtas we have a Members' LGBT caucus and a staff representative association. We fly the rainbow flag and hold a coffee morning, which in themselves are not major things, but they are symbols of the inclusive, diverse Parliament we all represent and that we park our political ideology. I also pay tribute to our great friends, who are no longer Members of the House, former Senators Fintan Warfield and David Norris, who, along with me and Deputy Malcolm Byrne, started the campaign for the Houses to hold those two simple but effective and positive symbols of inclusivity and diversity in our Houses.

We will never forget the scenes in Dublin Castle. Stepping back to where we came from to marriage equality to now, I am conscious of the fact, as David Norris said recently, that there were only six or seven people at the first gay pride parade in Cork, including Kieran Rose and Arthur Leahy. They were champions on an arduous journey to lead to political change. We did it incrementally. Many people disagreed with us and thought we should have gone full throttle, but history will judge and the Irish people were generous. We have made significant progress, while recognising that we have challenges. That is why Pride is still important. That is why it is critical that we do not just celebrate and commemorate the past but that we challenge each other about the future and the world we live in today. It is about defending where we are, but is also about shaping a more inclusive future.

The European Parliament's review and ILGA-Europe's annual review highlight situations where people cannot be free to be who they are and who are not in a position like ours in this Chamber, whose allies and friends support us and raise the issues of anti-hate speech and discrimination and speak about violent attacks on the streets. While more people are free to be out and be open, many people are seeing an increase in violence, harassment and bullying against them. That is why, as the Minister said, we cannot have any tolerance for harassment and violence. I also make the point that we, as parliamentarians, have an obligation and responsibility to challenge those who have a different view to ours and to call them out for what they say in these Chambers, be it in the Dáil or the Seanad.

Today, the Emerald Warriors, a gay rugby team from Ireland, are champions of the Union Cup. The Cork Hellhounds won a competition. Next Saturday, on the eve of the All-Ireland Hurling Final, two gay teams from the North and South of our island will play a match in MTU in Cork. I thank Cork's Na Laochra Aeracha, for its wonderful work under the leadership of Aaron Kelly. I thank Richie Fagan of the Emerald Warriors for what they have done. They have encouraged inclusivity in sport and diversity. Aeracha Uladh coming to Cork shows the power of sport in uniting and raising the rainbow flag.

We have come a long way, but what does it really mean to be free to be who you are and to belong when people around the world are trying to take away the rights we won and campaigned for? These people are in parts of the world where one would imagine they should know better. They are meant to be the champions of democracy. We can never take the progress we have made for granted. That is why Pride, role models and tonight's statements are critical. We need campaigns and visibility. We must also recognise that marriage equality did not put the roof on the house. It was a key moment that we will never forget. I can wear this ring because of the generosity of the Irish people and I will never forget that. We must do more. That is why it is critical that we listen to and understand each other in this debate. As Charlie Bird said in his book, it was "Some Day in May".

The progress we have made is one we will continue. That is why I have made the commitment in the Department of rural and community affairs, along with the Minister, Deputy Foley, to always be that champion. We will always be the advocate and work with every Member of this House because there is very little that divides us on the matter of Pride and equality. I look forward to working with all Members to ensure that we continue to allow people to live safely, to be free in their workplace, to be free to be who they are and, more importantly, that we stand up to those who want to row back. We stand with our friends in the trans community, conscious that we have to take a journey there as well and we must do that.

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