David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the move made by the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Leo Varadkar, to deal with the pension anomaly. I have been involved in dealing with it since the legislation was initially introduced, but I compliment my colleague, Senator Ivana Bacik, on the work she has done on it and, in particular, producing the first Bill to deal with it. However, I think it is too narrow as it seems to focus particularly on the David Parris case. There are further anomalies outside it. I hope it will be possible to work with the Minister to tweak the legislation, but I am very pleased that he has taken up the issue. We had a meeting this morning with the Russian ambassador organised by the Leader, Senator Jerry Buttimer, about the horrendous treatment of gay men in Chechnya. The ambassador pointed to the pension anomaly as a blot on the Irish reputation.The ambassador pointed to the pension anomaly as a blot on the Irish reputation, so it actually has a certain international currency. I think it is too narrow.

Dr. David Parris is a university lecturer. I do not know what lecturers are paid nowadays, but we were not paid a huge amount when I was lecturing. To expect somebody like him to cough up €50,000 in legal fees is wrong. In the series of cases that I took on the criminalisation of homosexual behaviour among men, the Government first applied for costs and costs were awarded against me of €75,000 which, in the 1970s, was a hell of a lot of money. Eventually, however, the Supreme Court decided that because it was a matter of constitutional interest, the State should bear the costs. I believe very strongly that as individual citizens, Dr. Parris and his partner should not be loaded with this very heavy financial responsibility. I ask the Government to absorb the costs because the case was a matter of fundamental, constitutional interest and in that context, an individual citizen should not be required to pay.