Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I do not want to prolong the debate either but I cannot hear of these attacks on the Law Reform Commission. It is an objective body and its review is welcome. I am disappointed that amendments to this legislation on the rights of children will not be accepted, but I hope we will see comprehensive legislation on the rights of children very soon.

As Senator Norris said, one can cite all sorts of evidence and studies. A great number of the studies cited have not looked at gay parenting versus straight parenting versus parenting by heterosexual couples. The US NIS-4 study, which has been quoted routinely by many people, shows that biological parents are better in this respect, but it did not look at gay parents in particular. The studies which have looked at gay parenting as opposed to parenting by heterosexual couples have shown over decades that there is no adverse impact on children raised by gay and lesbian parents. In 2002, the American Academy of Paediatrics Committee, which is not made up crackpots but is a respected American body, found no substantial difference between children raised by gay parents and heterosexual parents. One can quote all these studies but the specific studies looking at and contrasting gay parenting and heterosexual parenting have found there is no adverse impact. What matters is the quality of the parenting and the bond between parent and child.