David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

My views are broken down into two parts. First, I extend a genuine and sincere welcome to the Bill. I congratulate Senator Bacik who prepared the original Bill on which I seem to remember speaking, and the Minister for introducing this Bill.

May I say that this debate again shows the direct relevance of this Chamber? I hope the Minister will take this point back to her colleagues in the Government, not all of whom appear to be aware of it. She might be kind enough to say it to them. This is the second occasion this afternoon I have felt this. During our important debate on the question of abortion earlier today, Senator O'Donnell placed the details of a highly significant case - the D case - on the record of the House. The Government would do well to take account of the case in question. I stayed here for that important debate rather than attending another scheduled event. Having heard at second hand the catastrophic collection of cliches of which Mrs. Clinton delivered herself, I am rather glad I stayed here.

I approve of this Bill. We know the legislative history in this area. The various provisions have been recited. There is no point in going into them. It is highly appropriate that this right and entitlement should be given to this group of people. I am pleased to be part of the Chamber that is sanctioning it. In her opening address, the Minister said that this legislation "will allow valid marriages to be performed by bodies that fulfil the criteria of a secular body as laid down in the Bill, reflecting the varied belief systems in a modern society which still holds marriage as a valuable life choice". I think that is inarguable and perfectly reasonable. She continued:

The body must be in existence for at least five years, be an organised group of people who have secular, ethical and humanist beliefs in common, have a minimum of 50 people and meet on a regular basis. The body must be a charity and cannot have the making of profit as one of its main purposes.

She concluded:

This Bill represents a significant and important change to the Civil Registration Act 2004, which sees us, as a nation, recognise the increasing desire of people to celebrate marriage in a way that can include their own secular, ethical and humanist beliefs. Marriage is an important institution and this Bill enhances its role both in Irish and English law.

I absolutely agree with that.

I compliment and congratulate my colleagues. I note the presence in the Gallery of my old friend, Michael Nugent. Those who are atheists - I am most certainly not one of them - can be wonderful people with a dignity and an ethical system that sometimes reproves those of us who profess religious belief. I wonder whether the Minister understands in any sense at all how humiliating it is for me to stand here today and say that. Do the Minister and her Government colleagues have any imaginative capacity that enables them to understand what it feels like for me to know that whereas a serial murderer, a rapist or somebody convicted of incest can be legally married in this country, I cannot? One can be married by a druid, by a spiritualist, by a witch or by a wizard, but one cannot get married if one is gay. Although I feel the joy of those who have had the right to marry conferred on them, I wonder why we are so reluctant to give that right to another group. One can be married by the Bahá'í Community, the Chinese Gospel Church, the Mallow Street Christian Fellowship, the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, the Mountain View Community Church, the Pagan Federation of Ireland, the Plumbline Ministries, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Society of St. Pius X in Ireland, the Solid Rock Church of God, the Soul Winning Pentecostal Ministries, the Spiritualist Union of Ireland, the Salvation Army and the Unitarian Church. I have given a random selection.