Ivana Bacik (Independent)

Some specific points were raised and I wish to respond briefly to them. As Senator Hayden has noted, this debate did indeed open up into a discussion on marriage more generally. However, the Bill has a relatively narrow purpose. While it undoubtedly is a small but significant step towards the recognition of a more pluralist Ireland, it has quite a narrow purpose, which simply is to extend the definition to enable organisations like the Humanist Association of Ireland to apply for authorisation for its members to conduct legal weddings. That is the important point to make and it is not about marriages more broadly.

In response to a couple of the points raised, I am grateful to Senator Healy Eames for indicating Fine Gael's support. As I have stated, this Bill is supported by the Government and I am delighted it clearly has this support and will proceed to the Dáil as a Government Bill. The amendments would circumscribe ministerial discretion. The concern on Second Stage was that too broad a discretion had been left to the Minister and there were no criteria. These amendments seek to apply a set of rigorous criteria but that are not so rigid that they would exclude everyone. They are rigorous and fair. Senator Healy Eames asked about the criteria which requires that marriages be solemnised by a registrar and recorded in the register of marriages. This refers to HSE registrars. In other words, to get accreditation a body like the humanists would have to show that it had performed marriage ceremonies for at least 20 couples in the previous five years and that those couples had also had legal civil wedding ceremonies with a HSE registrar. As I stated-----