David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief and I hope we will then move on. I congratulate the Minister of State on what he has just said. It was an excellent speech and epitomised the core values of this Republic. I was proud listening to him. He explained clearly the difficulties and the way in which he is constrained, but he put his own ideals clearly on the record of this House and I compliment him on doing that.

If religion is so cherished by parents, they should teach it to their children. It should not be the responsibility of school. School deals in fact, not beliefs, unless it is treated as cultural artifacts. I say this as somebody who is a believing member of a Christian church.

The church is moving as well. I noted in the past few days a statement from a Roman Catholic bishop about the baptism of same-sex couples, making the point that there should not be any discrimination or distinction in the way in which these children are treated and no attempt to embarrass the parents. That is a very significant move forward by the Roman Catholic Church. It is not a church to which I belong but I applaud the bishop for making this position clear. I doubt if that would have happened if there had not been debates such as the debate that is taking place here today.