John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I join the calls for statements on what the Taoiseach is going to announce, but at an appropriate time. There is ample opportunity for all of us to hear it at first hand in the Dáil, where matters like this should be first announced.

I also share the views of those who would like to see tolerance. Having fought in a number of constitutional campaigns, I am quite mindful that there are few things as intolerant as some of the Irish liberals. The very people who expect tolerance sometimes show little tolerance in their views and in their statements, in their direct attacks on the church and in their misrepresentation of people who have sincerely held views. Sometimes, those very sincere views are held by people who defend a person's right to have his or her view, but would disagree strongly with those views. That does not give a person a right to say that another person is homophobic if he or she follows the church's teaching, which includes caring for everybody, no matter what their views. If people in this House reflected on what they have said and how they have denigrated the church at times, they might stop and think how intolerant they are themselves.