John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator Mansergh's call for a debate. It is quite reasonable that we are tolerant and understanding in this House. It is also reasonable that people who would hold a liberal view would be tolerant and reasonable with those who hold a contrary view. I would like to see liberalism redefined as intolerant of other people's views. There is fear because of the situation mentioned by Senator Mansergh where a particular institution formed with a particular ethos is being requested or expected to do something which is against that ethos. The same applies to the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. No group which stands for life should be asked to give information on abortion referral. It is contrary to what it believes.

We in this House should defend the right of any group with an honest and clear mandate and ethos to uphold that ethos and not have forced upon it by liberal thinking a tolerance of other people's views which are in the opposite direction. This would be the opposite of what liberalism should be. This morning I heard again an attack on the church. We all know the history of the church and its difficulties through the millennia, but the fact that the Holy Spirit is in the church is proof that it has survived.