Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Finally, Mr. Brophy indicated that "It should also be noted that these negotiations were ongoing at a time when John Waters was being subjected to the most outrageous level of online abuse and adverse commentary."

I place these quotes on record because it appears that only those on one side of the argument seem to have been offended. There are, however, two sides to this story. I fully support equality and inclusivity in society. While there are those who might suggest he was forced into doing so, it must be noted that a Fianna Fáil Minister for Justice decriminalised homosexuality in this country. My party has a proud record on inclusivity and I stand over that. I am under no illusion whatever with regard to the difficulties faced by those who are gay, lesbian or transgender. I have absolutely no illusions whatsoever about the hurt they have experienced and, on occasion, the vile abuse that has been hurled at them down the decades. At the same time, however, I would not have liked to have been accused of being homophobic because I held a particular point of view which was interpreted as being homophobic and to have left such a charge unanswered.

During the last European elections campaign, in a debate on "Tonight with Vincent Browne", some elements of the party with which Fianna Fáil is aligned in Europe, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, ALDE, were accused of taking a particularly pro-abortion position. As a result of my party's alignment with ALDE, I was accused - on live television - of being in favour of abortion. How does Senator Norris think I, as a person who is pro-life and who is opposed to abortion, felt at that stage?