David Norris (Independent)

I want to address another matter which comes directly from this, namely, the question of the constitutionality of this amendment and the word "spouse". My colleague is quite wrong in what he said about its constitutionality, and this can be easily demonstrated. If it were not so, it would not have been necessary for the former Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Mary Coughlan, to intervene to reverse the definition that existed which was capable of being interpreted in this way. There is no question whatever of a lack of constitutionality, although having heard from the other side of the House a lament for those days in which a woman's place was in the home, I am not surprised we have the same kind of antediluvian antics from people who were opposed to this.