It is understandable that we as a country are not moving at the same pace. We have to consider where we have come from in relation to where we are going and it is fair to say that the Netherlands was liberal when some people could not even spell the word. We are coming from a much more conservative, religion orientated tradition and we have a long way to go in terms of recognising the liberal agenda that countries like Norway and the Netherlands have championed. We have made progress and the outgoing Government moved significantly forward in the Equal Status Act, 2000, and the Employment Equality Act, 1998. These gave legal rights to marginalised people in a very meaningful way and the setting up of the Equality Authority brought about a new dawn for marginalised people, particularly lesbians, gays and bi-sexuals. They now enjoy greater protection than they did in the past.