Eoghan Harris (Independent)

Our grandfathers and our fathers would have difficulty with civil partnership. I fully support it, but my father and grandfather would have problems with it. There are people on the other side who oppose it - perhaps doing so in good conscience - and those of us who support it also do so in good conscience. We need to understand that tolerance does not mean permitting things; it means permitting things of which we disapprove, as many of us had to do on Articles 2 and 3. Those who talk about sensitivity and conscience should remember that the founder of Christianity was absolutely broad and tolerant in his handling of sexual peccadilloes, mistakes and infringements, and was absolutely unflinching in his opposition to money lenders and bankers.