Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is important to contribute to the debate on this subject. I commend Senator Warfield. Within Sinn Féin, we have always promoted LGBT rights and equality. We would not have the depth of information and knowledge regarding what needs to be done, such as the banning of this therapy, if it was not for the Senator. As a mother of two sons, I owe him a debt of gratitude for that. I hope the Bill passes speedily.

I very much welcome the Minister of State's comments, her positivity and her recognition of what needs to be done. I also commend other parties, including Senator Ardagh's, and the other Senators who co-signed the Bill. It was one of the easiest Bills to gather signatures for in my party once it was explained in the way Senator Warfield explained it. I was astonished to learn that this practice is legal in the State. My sons are 16 and 14 and it is legal to change part of their identity using the most horrific and inhumane methods, which is beyond belief. This is not conversion therapy, it is conversion torture.

I thank all those who wrote to us in respect of this issue. I read every email I received. Some of them contained heartbreaking stories. One line resonated with me, in particular - "Is it better to have a dead straight child than a living LGBT child?" Like many others, I lost a friend because of her sexuality and I am angered that that is still happening. As a Catholic, I was particularly angered during the marriage equality referendum campaign that my church was used to dissuade people from giving others the right to be who they want to be and to love whom they want. Many of the same people are happy to go to houses and peer into the coffins of young people who have lost their lives because they felt there was no place for them in their communities. I come from a remote rural area and I know it can be incredibly difficult for young people who are not heterosexual because of the gossip and nonsense spread in the closed communities in such areas. People of all ages living in rural communities who are gay or lesbian should be brave and come forward. There are many people like me and they would be surprised where they would find the love and support they need, even in remote rural areas. They should come forward and be who they are. We ran an anti-bullying campaign some years ago in an attempt to generate a community response to bullying, part of which related to homophobic bullying. The campaign's slogan was, "Free to be me". We all need to be free to be who we are.

Ending the archaic, barbaric practice which was described in some of the emails we received and which is dangerous and damaging to people's mental health and well-being would be a good piece of work. It is probably one of the most significant pieces of work in which this Seanad will engage. I welcome the legislation and I thank all those involved in producing it. I also thank all those in the Gallery who came along to support the passage of the Bill. Above all, I thank Senator Warfield for his contribution on this issue.