Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

We will all be very excited to find out exactly what is happening with the boundary report. I agree with what Senator Boyhan said, as it seems to me that a number of people appear to have been briefed on the reality of what we will be facing, or at least those individuals who have a franchise in electing us. I received calls from a number of councillors across the country today requesting information from me, which I do not have. It is not information I should have either because this is an independent report and we need to be told when it will be published and available. The convention always is that both Houses of the Oireachtas accept such reports. That is the case with all boundary reports, as it should be. I look forward to reading the report. Those individuals who elect most Members of this House are particularly anxious to see copies of the report very soon.

Could the Leader request an update on the commencement of sections 2, 3 and 9 of the Children and Family Relationships Act? I know that is an issue of concern to the Leader as well, as we have discussed it. As he and Members of the House are aware, certain measures contained in the Act which was passed in 2015 have yet to be commenced. Those measures relate in essence to equal parenting rights for married, same-sex couples. The failure to date to commence those provisions is causing great anxiety in the LGBT community. When we talk about equal marriage rights we should talk too about equal parenting rights.

This year the theme of the Pride festival is "We Are Family". I ask the Leader to clarify when those particular provisions, which are so important for same-sex couples and their children, will be commenced to provide for the kind of equal parenting rights for married same-sex couples in this country should be and are entitled to. We are merely waiting for those sections to be commenced.

One of the reasons I heard given by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection recently on the delay in registration of two female parents in a same-sex marriage is the fact that training had not been made available to registrars. That seems to be a particularly bogus reason as to why those sections cannot commence. I read that recently in the Irish Examiner, a newspaper I know the Leader reads from cover to cover every morning for obvious reasons. Could the Leader clarify when those particularly important provisions of the Children and Family Relationships Act will be commenced? It would be a very happy coincidence if a particular effort could be made to ensure that they are commenced in time for that great celebration in Dublin and across the country at the end of June, namely, the festival known as Pride.