Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I also welcome this Bill and I commend Senator Bacik for her initiative in bringing it forward. I extend my welcome to her as a member of the Humanist Association of Ireland in the House today.

I accept the broad thrust of this Bill and I believe it plays an important role in allowing the joyous ceremony of marriage to be open to people of all persuasions and none. Any couple who have made the commitment to marry each other should be given the change to celebrate this special occasion through their own belief and choice.

We are becoming an increasingly secular society. In recognising that, we need to ensure we are becoming increasingly inclusive. For that reason, this measure is very important. It is very useful that this House can play a role in this respect. It is a positive development that the House can contribute to people's happiness, as well as to their legal standing. At times like this when we are down in the dumps in many ways, it is very good that we can celebrate that the Houses of Parliament can contribute to that. Everything we do should be contributing to a more equal, fair, more inclusive and happier society. I would use this measurement tool in my own life.

Christenings, weddings, funerals, communions and confirmations are the only religious events in the otherwise secular lives of thousands of Irish people today. The need to celebrate a rite of passage and to attach a ritual to family milestones is innate in everyone from atheists to fundamentalists. Most Irish people want to share their new arrival, their childhood memories, their union or the death of a loved one with their family, friends and community in an organised fashion.

However, not every family wants to be involved in formal religion in these ceremonies. The latest figures from the CSO bear this out, with the number of civil marriage ceremonies having increased substantially to 23% of marriages in 2006 and 2007 and 24% in 2008. While divorcees account for a number of these marriages, of the 5,299 in 2008, over 3,000 of them were marriages in which the bride and groom were not previously married. This indicates that previously single people are also shying away from religious ceremonies for one reason or another. Evidence from the CSO suggests that in 2012 for the first time, the number of civil wedding ceremonies may exceed the number of religious ceremonies. It is safe to conclude that humanists contribute to some of those figures. The number of people in Ireland stating that they have no religion has more than doubled with every census from 1961 to 2002.

At the moment, only an ordained minister of religion or registrars employed by the HSE are eligible for registration as solemnisers and to perform marriages that are recognised by Irish law. This provision can exclude a number of groups of Irish citizens who wish to celebrate their union through their belief, such as humanism, rather than through an established major religion or through a non-religious civil society. This Bill aims to broaden section 45 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 to include a body designated by the Minister which will allow certain bodies, groups and associations that are currently excluded to have their members registered as celebrants of legal marriages. The humanist desire to avail of this is very worthy and should be recognised.

If other beliefs emerge, will this Bill cover them? What are the criteria for that? Is the Church of Scientology designated as such a body? Senator Norris spoke about the need for objective criteria so that we can assess other bodies if and when they come forward, and I agree with this.

I wish the best for this Bill. Fine Gael will support it. However, I regret that the Civil Registration Act 2004 is being amended without also adding an important amendment that was argued for while we were in opposition, which is an amendment to have the deaths of Irish people who die abroad not registered at home. There was a major campaign on this over the last two years.

Indeed, the Tánaiste, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, signed the "Bring them home" petition. In this House and at the Joint Committee on Social Protection there were many opportunities for Irish families to present their cases. It is unfortunate, and I will give one case in point.