Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As there is no Order of Business tomorrow I wish to compliment from the bottom of my heart the Minister, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald for her courage, conviction and compassion in introducing the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2013 tomorrow. Senator Quinn and I raised many times the issue of these families who had been guaranteed babies from Russia but the arrangements had been disrupted by the Russian legislation. The Minister is a real politician. I know Frances for many years. I spoke to her on this issue two weeks ago. I said, "Frances, your name will be carved in stone as a politician who changes things". We are not here to talk, waffle and spin; we are here to make changes in society. I wish to declare my regard for the Minister, whom I have known for many years.

I support my the proposal by my colleague, Senator David Norris regarding an invitation to the Pope. On Tuesday of this week, Pope Francis celebrated his 77th birthday in his humble guest house rather than in the palatial rooms of the Vatican. He is exemplary in his compassion and his breadth of vision and is an inspiration for the 1.5 billion Catholics in the world. In July this year when he was asked by a journalist for his views on gay priests, he replied, "Who am I to judge?". He is a human being of 77 years of age and he is an example of the wisdom of older people who can cease to be judgmental. Their experience tells them that but for the grace of God, go I.