Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I accept that making disparaging remarks about each other is out of order, but I ask the House to revisit that ruling. I was thinking about this Bill over the weekend. It covers six main areas of law and is significant legislation. For the first time in this country, it sets up a donor assisted human reproduction, DAHR, industry. This should have been provided for in a separate Bill. How can I vote for this Bill? I want to vote in favour of guardianship, custody and access of children and the extension of maintenance to children. I do not necessarily agree with everything being done in respect of donor assisted reproduction simply to facilitate an impending referendum. It is putting the cart before the horse. The issue of DAHR should have been addressed in a broad ranging Bill on assisted human reproduction. If we are genuinely interested in facilitating DAHR for married and cohabiting couples with infertility problems, why did we not do so earlier? Why have we waited until weeks before a referendum on same sex marriage?