Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

I welcome the amendment to the Bill and I also welcome to the House the members of the Humanist Association of Ireland. It is most important that we are an inclusive society and that we accommodate difference, particularly with regard to marriage, because an inclusive, pluralist society makes us all better people, as we can all look into ourselves and see what we see in other people. I can do it my way, but we do not want everybody else to do it my way as well. The legislation is important because although marriage is a social union, it is also a legal contract which carries with it many implications for society as a whole and for individual persons. Some aspects of this include economic considerations, the establishment of a nuclear family and the protection of children. We should facilitate everyone in society and ensure the best possible rights are afforded to them and humanists should be included in the register. I understand the difficulty raised by Fianna Fáil and the need to get over it. The Minister referred to the criteria laid down. One would need the wisdom of Solomon to ensure one was totally inclusive in laying down the criteria. Anyway, we must make a stab at it because we cannot leave it to a Minister alone. One cannot decide that it will be the humanists today and someone else tomorrow. Criteria must be set down for the way in which groups are registered and how the Minister can register them. At the moment the Registrar General can refuse. There are criteria for refusal and we have no problem providing them to the Registrar General. I have no difficulty giving it to the Minister if the criteria are laid down but we must ensure the criteria are laid down and this and the other House will play an important role in that process.

Senator O'Keeffe referred to the Seanad being progressive in bringing forward important legislation for social change. She mentioned four women as well as Senator Bacik, Senator David Norris and Senator Rónán Mullen. We held a debate yesterday on women in politics during which the aim of 50:50 representation by 2020 was raised. During the debate I reflected on this side of the House and I asked myself whether the left side or the right side of my brain was working because I looked over at the other side of the House where there were only men, while this side of the House was made up of women only. I noted that the people Senator O'Keeffe mentioned with regard to social legislation were mostly women. Senator Norris is not here but he was included in the social list as well. A thought struck me at the meeting yesterday and it has remained fresh in my mind. There is a difference between social change and how it is progressed and the left and the right side of the brain. It is a minor matter but perhaps one to consider.

Is there a facility in the Bill - there may be but I did not see it - allowing for the right to revoke or deregister if one has already registered?