Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I echo Senator Mary White's comments to the effect the Government is committed to the civil partnership Bill. Everyone recognises the country has taken great steps forward in recent years. A number of surveys show the concept of same-sex marriage does not offend the majority of people. While it is fine for people to advocate the family model which includes a mother and father, there should not be discrimination against other family formations. The quasi-religious social theory which underpins some of the constitutional provisions relating to marriage is open to challenge in the modern era. If we place children at the centre of this debate, it will present us with a challenge. It will be difficult for society to engage in the debate to which Senator Bacik refers because there are serious divisions on this issue.

In the context of the Bill, adoption is only available to married couples. The Supreme Court is clear that a married couple is comprised of a man and a woman. Any change to this model would require a constitutional amendment. In my view, however, there are many loving families and what children want more than anything else is a loving family. There is no reason a loving environment cannot be provided by a single person, a cohabiting heterosexual couple or by any of the other family formations that are becoming more common.