David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The previous contribution shows what a complex area we are moving into in terms of human reproduction, which is outside the scope of the Bill. I hope the Government will address that issue because it has been left on the long finger for too long and a series of anomalous cases have arisen. I agree with some of what has been said but I do not agree with the party spin because the Government is in a difficult position. The Minister has made difficult choices. She has halved the demands that were made on her. Choices have to be made. They are awful and I would not want to make them but then I would not have started from there because the entire system should be pulled down. Unfortunately, this is what one gets with capitalism. This is where it leads. The financial system and everything else should be pulled down and the rights and welfare of people should be given primacy. I do not see any sign of that happening across Europe. We are in this situation and starting at the ideological position the Minister now does because there is little socialism around anywhere nowadays. However, I will ignore that aspect of the debate. This is not a time for point scoring. There are serious welfare issues because we are now at the point where it is about survival for people in this country.

I have one technical question.

The relevant subsection states, in respect of adoptive benefit, that the rate of payment will be "80 per cent of the reckonable weekly earnings, reckonable weekly emoluments or reckonable weekly income, as the case may be, of the woman to whom the benefit is payable in the income tax year prescribed for the purposes of this section". My concern here relates to the implications of this provision for gay and-or single men who have adopted a child. In the context of a specific reference to "the woman", are we to take it that they are they not being given any consideration at all? After the adjustments that I gather will be made, wisely and in the interests of the welfare of children, by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter - these adjustments might even come about prior to the introduction of same-sex marriage; if such is introduced, as I hope it will be - we could have a situation where two men have adopted a child. In that context, will the Minister consider changing "woman" to "person"?