Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Members of the Seanad, not just for today but for the last couple of months. I appreciate everyone's frustration, but I hope that it is realised that this is literally the only legislation drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel since January apart from the Brexit-related legislation. That is how important this legislation is.

There are difficult concepts remaining outside of this Bill that a number of Senators have alluded to. Unfortunately they are not under my remit, but I agree with most of what has been said in this House and will pass on the information given to me today, not only to the Minister for Health but also the Minister for Justice and Equality who has responsibility in the area of surrogacy for some strange reason. We have a weird set-up in this country. Our responsibility will be to ensure that the registrations office provides the legal certificates arising from any changes in legislation that we will decide upon in the coming months, and we will do our bit. I certainly will not be afraid to annoy people or poke them in the eye to remind them what their responsibilities to our citizens are.

Senator Bacik is absolutely right to say that once this is done the elephant in the room will be the question of whether our Constitution holds and cherishes a definition of a family that does not reflect the old realities anymore. We are widely acknowledged as an advocate and leader on the world stage of what can be done in what is considered a conservative, religious country in a very short space of time. Indeed, the lovely Nancy Pelosi acknowledged the same last night. However, our laws and our Constitution have to follow just as quickly.

I thank the Senators for their contribution. I am reliably told that we will be back here on 8 May for Committee and Report Stage.