Averil Power (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Exactly. I would have no time left to say anything else. I am deeply grateful to each and every one of them for the contribution they made to the campaign. They achieved something phenomenal and extraordinary and I very much appreciate that.

The campaign was an exercise in positivity, determination and courage. The courage shown by people such as Ursula Halligan, Pat Carey and Leo Varadkar was extraordinary, as was that of ordinary LGBT people who knocked on doors, night after night, coming out to complete strangers and explaining to them why a “Yes” vote mattered. I strongly believe it was those personal stories that won the campaign. They educated us about how hard it is to be gay in Ireland in 2015.They connected with our sense of fairness and decency and they motivated us to come out in record numbers and vote for change. Many Yes Equality canvassers had never been involved in any political campaign before. When I met them at canvass training a month or two before the referendum, they were absolutely petrified of the notion of knocking on doors, but they did it anyway. In doing so, they took ownership of their own futures and delivered the most positive and energetic political campaign this country has ever seen. I hope many of them will stay involved and help to continue to change our country for the better. Lord knows, we need it. In so many different spheres, we could use that energy and drive for change.

I hope the Government will use the momentum from the "Yes" vote to help address the remaining discrimination against LGBT people. A Bill to amend section 37 of the Employment Equality Act was passed by this House just before the summer recess but has yet to finish its passage through the Dáil. I feel strongly that this must be a priority before the general election. Homophobic bullying is still a major problem in schools and LGBT people still face discrimination in other aspects of their lives. Marriage equality was a huge step forward but we still have more to do to improve the lived experience of our LGBT citizens. I also hope the Government will use its voice to champion LGBT equality at the international level. In light of our record referendum result, Ireland is a beacon of hope for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in countries where they still face major discrimination, and even death, just for being gay. We can and should show leadership in this area.

To conclude, I strongly welcome the Marriage Bill 2015. It is amazing we have come to this point. It has certainly been the highlight of my term here in this House. I look forward to the Bill passing through the Houses as soon as possible and being enacted into law. I commend the Minister and her colleagues on holding the referendum. I look forward to being invited to my first equal marriage, hopefully sometime in the next few months.