Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know she is not. She made a negative contribution on what should be a very positive day. That was disappointing when one considers the monumental amount of change that has been brought forward in recent years, especially by the last Government. We have moved from a time when people were prosecuted and imprisoned to a point when we can celebrate equality. I think today of friends who are living abroad and do not want to return to Ireland because of the way they were treated here in the past. I salute them. I think of the many people who are scared to come out, older people in particular, in our communities. This tremendous day is for all of them. As Senator Boyhan said, it is a day for the people who quietly advocate, push and prod, and make equality happen in a nondescript way. Equally, it is a day for those persons who push and advocate in a public way. I thank the people in the many different organisations who do that every day. They are champions of equality.