Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In welcoming the Minister, I acknowledge her bravery and remember Ann Louise Gilligan. I congratulate Senator Norris for his leadership over generations. There are people in the Gallery whom we must acknowledge and support, not least our good friend, Tim Hayes, a Leinster House usher, as well as Kieran Rose, John-Paul Callinan from Cork, and Edmund Lynch, people who stood up when it was uncool to do so. We remember the late Chris Robson today, who was one of my heroes. He inspired like Senator Norris to instill bravery in us. I smiled when Senator Warfield said he was only a year and a half old 25 years ago. I remember being that soldier who was afraid to walk into Loafers in Cork or to celebrate a relationship. In my job as a teacher, I could have been fired. However, people like Arthur Leahy and Cathal Kerrigan in Cork transformed lives for many of us and gave us hope.

It is a special day for equality and civil liberties. It is one we perhaps thought we would never get to. The Minister for Justice and Equality said in his contribution that the past cannot be undone. Today, however, is a day that can help. It is a day we recognise Máire Geoghegan-Quinn but that we did not all become gay 25 years ago. As Senator Norris said, we were there long before that. Imagine the number of people could have lived a much different and a much better life had our culture and our laws not been the way they were. I want to remember those men, some of whom are with us today, friends of ours, who left our country and some who went to their eternal reward. We are fortunate that we can say nice and genuine things about Senator Norris and he can listen to them.