Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

Sinn Féin fully supports the right of same-sex couples to marry and found a family, including by adoption. We also support the right of unmarried and same-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships, to which the motion refers.

Sinn Féin was the first party to try to enshrine this right in legislation, when former Deputy Seán Crowe tabled an amendment to the Civil Registration Bill 2003 to provide for equal recognition of same-sex marriage. In 2004, Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh tabled an amendment to the Equality Bill to allow for a more inclusive definition of the term "marital status" to recognise same-sex partnerships. In 2005, our submission to the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution called for the definition of "family" to be extended to include same-sex couples. In our manifesto for last year's general election we stated that Sinn Féin in Government would "introduce legislation to permit and recognise same-sex marriage, provide full and equal recognition of all civil partnerships in law, and recognise the right of same-sex couples to adopt children in the same manner as heterosexual couples". Our record on this issue is clear and unambiguous and that is why I support the motion proposed by Senator Norris.

I wish to focus on two issues, one of which concerns our responsibilities under the Good Friday Agreement. The Government has an obligation to introduce equality protections for this community under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement's equivalence provisions. In Britain, the Transsexual Act 2004 and Civil Partnerships Act 2005 provide that lesbian and gay couples in the Six Counties now have broadly equivalent rights to those enjoyed by married couples. Both the Equality Authority and NESF have called for this State to level-up its equality legislation by introducing similar provisions. The report endorsed by the Six County Equality Authority and the Equality Commission, entitled "Equivalence in Promoting Equality" and published in December 2005, states:

[that the reforms] need not precisely replicate UK legislation. However, legislation is required to protect and give effect to equal treatment of transsexual people and lesbian and gay couples under the equivalence requirement [of the Good Friday Agreement].

There is, therefore, a responsibility on the Government to do this. International instruments and court challenges can all prompt the Government to act but it should not drag its heels and wait for either to occur. It should legislate proactively for the progression of human rights in a modern and changing society.

Another step that needs to be taken urgently is one highlighted last October by the Equality Authority, namely, the need to amend the equality laws to provide protection for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons employed in religious-run schools.