Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. To be frank, the Minister has made the position clear. Section 7 states "Nothing in this Act or any other enactment shall be construed as obliging," and as all Members are aware, the concept of obligation has a distinct legal meaning. This really puts it into a nutshell. The other section to which Senator Mullen refers gives the option for religious or civil solemnisers to include the term "spouse". I have listened to this debate for the past 40 minutes or close thereon and I do not think it could be clearer. I ask Senator Mullen, for the purpose of reaching a conclusion to this debate, to allow Members to move on.