Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

These amendments have no merit. The term "civil status" is defined as being "single, married, separated, divorced or widowed". It is not a great extension of that term to include a civil status for a former partner in a civil partnership that has ended. The amendments would make a nonsense of the proposed legislation.

Senator Norris is right. We have discussed this in the context of the Title of the Bill. The amendments should be rejected out of hand.