Katherine Zappone (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to take up where Senator Bacik left off by acknowledging with her and, I am sure, other Members of the House, the extraordinary work of the Constitutional Convention. I particularly welcome its decision to recommend to the Government, by 85% as the Senator noted, the strengthening of the protection of economic, social and cultural rights in the Constitution. My experience of being there this weekend is that we are in a new era called the human rights era. There was very little effort to work towards that recommendation. People, both citizens and politicians and regardless of party or political affiliation, understood that all basic human rights are to be protected. One point I learned in particular and which was highly persuasive in respect of presentations was that were the people to vote to incorporate a strengthening of these rights into the Constitution, that largely would be a guidance for lawmakers. It would be a guidance for them, again regardless of from what political ideology one comes, to ensure greater protection for these basic rights and I really welcome that.

The other point I wish to make is how much I admire the tenacity with complexity and the openness of mind, especially of the citizens, as well as their participation in those debates. These characteristics of tenacity and openness of mind are great characteristics for politicians to emulate and as Senator Bacik mentioned, I wish to confirm with the Leader that this report from the Constitutional Convention will be debated in the Seanad.

Second, I refer to a question I will have for the Leader. I echo the dismay expressed by allies, institutions and governments all around the globe and state categorically that I regard the long-threatened anti-same-sex legislation signed into law yesterday in Uganda as institutionalising hatred and sabotaging efforts of human rights and health work. For example, in the case of life imprisonment if one marries someone of the same gender, were I in Uganda I would be heading to prison. Similarly, in respect of seven years' imprisonment for directors of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, LGBT, advocacy groups, I note that were one a member of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, GLEN, LGBT Noise or even of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, ICCL, or the Free Legal Advice Centres, FLAC, one would be heading to prison for seven years in Uganda. Consequently, I ask the Leader to convey to the Tánaiste the desirability of amplifying Ireland's voice at the Human Rights Council in this regard and of formulating a response to extreme legislation of this sort at international level. As the courage to speak of sexual and gender diversity increases in hostile societies, so too does the incidence of extreme prohibitive law-making, as seen in Russia, Nigeria and now Uganda.