Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome my colleagues and friends from Foxford in County Mayo. They come from areas of business, education and medicine. One of them was the first face and voice of the blood bank many years ago and we know the contribution made by that organisation to Irish society and life. They are very welcome. I grew up with them and they know everything about me. They know how much everything they stand for means to me.

I congratulate the people on the repeal of the eighth amendment. The Irish people never let us down on a right vote, and this was the right vote. I thank the Government and everybody who took part, particularly Senator Bacik, our colleague in the House who led a great path for this over the past 30 years. I also acknowledge Deputy Enda Kenny because of the effect of the Citizens' Assembly, which he pursued against all odds. It was derided and berated and we were told it would be an obfuscation but it was not; it ended up being anything but an obfuscation and now it seems to be the best thing on the planet. We are going to use it for everything. It is very good in some ways and not good in others. It is very good with moral and profound issues but not so much with other matters that should come under our scope as politicians and Senators.

I am proud of the Irish people. I have said it before that I do not get my morality from politicians and, personally, I do not get it from the church. I was a single parent in the 1980s when they were flittering Joanne Hayes down the road, so I know what it is to be on one's own with a child in this country and rearing that child, who is now 30 and would kill me for saying this. I know what it is to be a silent "Yes" and a silent movement for women. I get my morality from my own pathology, history and experience. I know these people, whether they are 18 or 80 years old, voted this way because of an internal morality. It is a good one, as was shown the other day. Many people had made up their minds years ago as to what they would do if this referendum came about.

There has been a call for the segregation of church and State. We are going to close all the Catholic churches, batter them and everything they stand for. While doing that we are to build mosques the size of Croke Park in Dublin 15. I was educated and minded by the Catholic Church. My mother is being minded as a resident by Catholic nuns. I admire the Catholic Church, which has the most appalling background on many issues. We all know what they are. However, it has done great work and deeds.