Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I concur with the generality of what has been said. I think there is a very significant issue in other cultures with regard to forced and early marriage. I am involved in a parliamentary organisation NGO which has campaigned strongly in this regard and has held seminars in various countries where this is a prevalent issue and problem.Last week it made a presentation to the UN, a body about which I have great misgivings, but at least it is a step in the right direction and perhaps it will embrace it because there are very significant problems for people. Marriage should certainly be consensual. That is one of the founding principles of the Judeo-Christian value system of marriage and a strong component of being married. Anything which flies in the face of that, particularly with young children, is to be opposed. I am interested in what the Minister has to say on this. Children in their late teens are of varying degrees of maturity but as a general rule, people need to be of fairly mature disposition to make such a lifelong commitment.

Another aspect that concerns me is the trend nowadays in the western world for people to leave it quite late to get married, resulting in health and other issues, not least demographic issues.

These are issues I hope some future Minister, Department or Government will be committed to taking a look at and addressing in a holistic and cohesive way because there are issues surrounding marriage that need to be buttressed in the society in which we live. That should be done, if only in the interest of children, not to mention the best interest of adults.