Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

What I am trying to indicate is that if donor-assisted human production is introduced, with all of its injustices, surely a child should have two parents who are in a committed legal relationship with each other. This, I say to Senator Power, is why it is relevant. If one looks at the law in this area in Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland, they all require that couples have a legal relationship with each other. When Senator Power goes back over the transcript she will find that everything I have said connects and makes sense. That two parents should be married, or at least in a committed relationship, to be able to share the burden of the task of raising a child is common sense.

Senator van Turnhout sought to push an issue with regard to the fact that yesterday I quoted Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, and it is absolutely clear that he referred to marriage as the gold standard. This is the underlying premise in part of what I am proposing, but it is not just him who says this. It is common sense and is based on the findings of much research.