David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is a very serious matter. We are talking about amending the Constitution, under which we all live. I intend to be of assistance, as far as I can be, to the Government in passing this speedily. I welcome the Bill and I will do everything I can to help it through. I was shocked to find that only two Members were present for this discussion of this amendment to the Constitution. Both of those Members came from the University of Dublin. There was not a single Member of either the Government or the Opposition here today. I find that shocking and regard it as a form of parliamentary dereliction. As a parliamentarian, I am greatly offended by this. Taking this into account, I believe the Minister's attacks on me, during the ringing of the quorum bell and subsequently on the record, were ignorant, ill-tempered and unjustified. I will leave it at that but those are my feelings.

The whole question of divorce was a contentious matter when it was introduced first in the 1920s and it occasioned one of the great speeches by another University of Dublin Senator - the late W. B. Yeats. I certainly support the idea of divorce. It does not mean I have any less respect for the institution of marriage. I do not see why it should not be easy to get a divorce. Why should we have the granny State interfering all the time? I would like the whole question of divorce removed entirely from the Constitution and dealt with only by legislation. That has been the position of the Anglican Church, to which I belong, for many years.

I welcome the Bill. It is a partial resolution of the situation. I will support it. I hope this will be of some comfort to the Minister who has so seriously misinterpreted me here today.