Averil Power (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am talking about the word "equality". The language that was used here was the language of difference. Those who argued that women should not serve on juries because we were functionally different would not accept that we were unequal. They said "well, women are just different". The same logic has been used to justify apartheid in America and elsewhere and to justify the prevention of interracial marriage. I want to make it clear that this is part of a theme, and equality is not it. As I said in my opening remarks, the language that is being used in the Title of the Bill is entirely fitting with what it is about. The true definition of equality is about treating people the same in their status, their rights and their opportunities. That is precisely what this Bill is about. If people do not agree with equality and feel they have genuine reasons for that view, they can make those reasons known. However, they should not try to say they are in favour of equal rights for gay people when it is clear that they are not.