Seanad debates

Thursday, 26 March 2015

Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of Rónán MullenRónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will not address the Minister's final point now. I will deal with it when we reach the relevant amendment.

I was particularly taken by something the Minister said during her contribution. Any use of the comparison with illegitimacy or with the concept thereof is completely misconceived. To suggest that restricting DAHR to married couples is tantamount to calling donor-assisted children illegitimate, comes perilously close to insulting such children and the Senators who are making certain arguments in this debate. The Minister should reconsider the position in respect of this matter and I will tell her why. The Bill provides for guardianship arrangements in circumstances where children are outside the marital family and for non-marital fathers to be recognised as guardians where they have been cohabiting with the mother for a period, including for three months after the birth of the child. Nobody is suggesting that those children would be deemed illegitimate by virtue of the Minister restricting the recognition of the status of such fathers. It would be much better if we did not make such highly emotive, inaccurate and vague comparisons that are really designed not to address the argument rather to create an aura of odium around what is being proposed.

I ask the Minister to reconsider the comment she made in respect of illegitimacy. It is a loathsome idea and I do not believe she should make a comparison or suggest that we are in any way revisiting the concept in question. The logic of what she is saying is that unless one acknowledges everything adults do, one is calling the children involved illegitimate. That really implies complete recklessness on the part of the Minister, as both a legislator and a member of the Government. Basically, she is stating that the Government is going to allow everything lest it be seen as being judgmental not to. She should remember that what we are proposing relates to restoring to all children the right not to be brought into the world in a way that intentionally deprives them of the opportunity of being brought up by their own biological father or mother or both. What we are about is vindicating children's rights, not stigmatising them. I really wish the Minister has not used the word "illegitimate". As she can see, it has elicited a strong reaction from me.

I am awaiting the arrival of a note regarding a quote I found last night in respect of what Senator van Turnhout had to say regarding Geoffrey Shannon. When I have it in my possession, I will seek to read it into the record.

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