Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as bheith linn inniu don díospóireacht agus don phlé stairiúil, tábhachtach agus suntasach seo. I thank the Minister for being in the House today for the debate. Sitting here, I have found the discussion insightful, useful and representative of the Seanad at its best. It is at its best in engagements and discussions like this. Hopefully, we can act as a forum for the rest of Ireland to have similar discussions and to learn and hear about the experiences of our transgender and non-binary citizens. It has been a very positive event. Other contributors have already said it should not only be that. We should not be coming to the House merely to pay lip service to the issue. I do not believe anyone is doing that.

In my short time in the Seanad, two of the most positive discussions I have witnessed were this one and the recent debate on the Bill to lower the voting age to 16. While we did not win the day on that occasion, it was a very worthwhile engagement back and forth. I note graciously the remarks of Senator Norris, but both discussions resulted from Senator Fintan Warfield coming to the House. He has been a champion since entering the Chamber of the rights of children, and young people and LGBT people. As a result, he has simply been a champion for the rights of people. If we are not champions for the rights of people in the Seanad, we should consider what our role here is. That has been greatly manifested by Senator Warfield throwing down the challenge and gauntlet to us. Very willingly, we have accepted it on this occasion and are running with it.

Like other Members, I was voting in the Chamber yesterday and was unable to attend what I understand was a very powerful event in the AV room to brief Senators on the issue. I thank the representatives from various organisations in the Gallery or watching online for affording us the opportunity to hear those real lived experiences as we have moved forward with the Bill. I hope we can move forward as my colleague, Senator Kelleher, said without any undue delay or frustration of this important legislation.

Senator Boyhan used a powerful word when he talked about "authenticity" and the purpose of the Bill being about the authentic identity and life of those it is intended to have an impact on. I share the sentiment expressed by Senator Boyhan. The Bill has the opportunity to be transformative. I say that with a deep appreciation of what we can do as legislators in the Seanad and as an Oireachtas. I do not say it to be glib. Like others, I come to this institution to try to be transformative and to live up to the challenge and needs of citizens regardless of who they are. While it has been outlined in a much better and extensive way than I could hope to do it, the experience of transgender and non-binary people out there has not always been positive. We should try to be positive today and to look at the legislation as a transformative way to send a message to those citizens which says they are cherished, appreciated and that we are working with them, thinking of them and trying to improve their quality of life as well as that of their families and other loved ones. That is the purpose of today's debate.

As I came in and as Senator Warfield spoke to our team about the Bill, it appeared to me to be a no-brainer. The Bill had to be moved. The Proclamation is the bedrock of my political ideology and what I do when I enter this institution, when I entered Belfast City Hall in a previous life and when I visit a business or meet with whoever. The Proclamation states clearly:

The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities of all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally [.]

Sometimes, that is in danger of losing its impact. Sometimes, we repeat it ad nauseam. However, we should never forget the impact and power of those words and what they are about. We are not there yet, but today is, hopefully, about moving us to a position where we get to that realisation and make those words a reality. Those words are not qualified. They do not say we want religious and civil liberty, equal rights and opportunities for particular people, they guarantee them for all. If we are serious about realising those words for people across the board, today is part and parcel of the journey. We are on the right track and have put our best foot forward. We must then put the next foot ahead. With the support of Members and the leadership of the Minister, we can surely do it.