Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I thank my colleagues for their courtesy in their responses. I recognise that the position I advocate in the current climate is not the position that enjoys majority support in the media. It tends to be the view that is considered not to be politically correct. In a society where people who have a traditionalist world view presume to speak there can sometimes be a tendency to be intolerant of their views, an intolerance that perhaps replaces the intolerance and lack of charity and respect that was previously shown to homosexual persons in a way that I deplore.

However, I wish to take issue with my colleagues, Senator White and Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, who seem to have a problem with my view that the consequences of what Senators Bacik and Norris are proposing would be destructive. Senator White sought to parse the word "destructive" in a rather tortured way. This is a word we use every day of the week as we try to speculate on the possible effects of policies that are proposed. We say a policy could be destructive of something. Destructive means damaging and negative. It in no sense suggests that the people themselves are wilfully destructive people or anything like that. I detect a sensitivity on that point that turns into a certain censoriousness. It is almost as though there is a fear I might point to negative effects and that I dare not say that what is proposed would be harmful or cause problems. That is almost an attempt to censor me. I use that word in the most respectful manner but I used a word that is in the everyday language of discourse.

Senator Healy Eames is from the same secondary school as me. I was disappointed that she used the most personalised language of the afternoon in telling me that I was holier than thou. That is clearly to identify that I have a particular moral position or attitude. I do not regard myself as holier than Senator Healy Eames; I do not know how holy she is to begin with. I certainly do not regard myself as particularly holy. I regard myself as having a sincere point of view that is based on rational argument about something I believe is important for our society and touches on the welfare of children. I am sure Senator Healy Eames and I agree on many issues relating to the welfare of children and I would like to think that as she reflects on the phrase "holier than thou", she might regret it just a little. I do not intend to be holier than anybody, I merely intend to contribute my——