John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

Like other Senators I ask for a debate on freedom of conscience. I am cognisant that there have been question marks over the hierarchy of a couple of churches speaking out on the issue. It is incredible that in this day and age people would not understand that not only does the hierarchy have a right to speak out but the hierarchy of the churches has a duty to speak out on the gospels. That leads to the Civil Partnership Bill. The European courts has now decided that it is not a fundamental human right notwithstanding the fact that it was certainly misrepresented. It was in the air that if we did not pass the Bill it would be directed by Europe. That simply has not happened. One of the bases for the production of the Civil Partnership Bill has now been taken from underneath it.