Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I do not want to prolong the debate unnecessarily. I am glad the Minister of State has acknowledged there should be some amendment to the section. I agree that to include "if any" in the first line addresses the point I raised, which is that the section assumes everyone is of a particular religion. However, it does not really address the fundamental issue I have with the provision, which issue Senators Alex White and Healy Eames have supported.

From what the Minister of State has said, I do not hear any real justification for the continued inclusion of this section. It is privileging religion. There is no doubt about that. The concerns the Minister of State expresses could as easily be addressed, and in a much better way, by simply having a provision stating that the wishes of the birth mother with respect to the religion of prospective adopters would be respected. That should be the presumption rather than making the presumption that they all be of the same religion.

The other approach is a better, more inclusive one and still acknowledges the important role religion has. There are other factors in today's Ireland which will be of equal concern to a birth mother and to any women going through the dreadfully traumatic experience of giving a child up for adoption. The main concern she will always have is that the child will be well looked after. This section is in conflict with that. How can we make a presumption that everyone is of the same religion and that is automatically in the best interests of the child? There are parents seeking to adopt with whom the child may be best placed and who have no religion. Those issues have all been raised already.

I would like to hear what the Minister of State has to say about my suggested alternative, which he did not address. It involved making an alternative provision stating that the wishes of the birth mother with respect to religion would be respected. I have not worded it very well but I will come up with something better on Report Stage. The Minister of State takes the point and perhaps he will comment on whether that would be a possible alternative route which would address the problems raised but would not make this very problematic assumption about religion.