Seanad debates
Wednesday, 16 October 2002
Recognition of Domestic Partnerships: Motion.
I have established a small committee of expert people in this area to review the law with a view to producing some kind of decent legislation. At the moment we are reviewing all the European legislation in this area. We would like to do something that would do this House, the Government and the country proud. In the past we gained tremendous credit in Europe for some of our anti-discrimination legislation, much of which originated in this House, because we were advanced and we are traditionally seen as a rather conservative country. They were amazed at what we were doing. Let us amaze them again. The expert colleagues on my committee would be delighted if, from time to time, representatives of different parties from the Seanad were prepared to sit in on our meetings, even if just at the end to see if we can put together something that would give justice to a whole range of people who now live decent lives but outside traditional marriage.
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