Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I thank Senator Warfield and Sinn Féin for introducing this motion. I welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to deal with the matter to which it relates. I look forward to the Minister of State's response on the timeline to deliver on that commitment. I presume there will be all-party across the Chamber for Senator Warfield's motion.

The year 1993 seems like an age ago. I suppose it is, to a degree. It is still part of what we would have referred to as modern Ireland and was a time of great hope. Yet it seems like it was a different period. The work of those advocates, politicians and all the people like Senator Norris who took cases to prescribe rights for gay and LGBT people is to be commended.

One can look back at high-profile cases in the UK such as that relating to Alan Turing. He was a hero for what he did in the context of decoding during the Second World War, and yet he was criminalised as a gay man and underwent an amount of brutal and savage treatment at the hands of authorities before he died. His conviction was eventually expunged by either Gordon Brown's Government or that of Tony Blair. Certainly, we need to do the same here. It is long overdue. It would be another step forward in normalising, if you like, people who are gay and people in the LGBT community.

I also condemn what has been seen and circulated on social media today in relation to what was, one has to assume, a homophobic attack in County Meath. I thought we were over that sort of bullshit to be honest. I thought we were over that sort of targeting of people for their sexuality. The fact that it is still going on, particularly with school kids, is disgraceful. I do not know sometimes. I have always been of the view that you live and let live; let people live their own lives. This sort of targeting is disgraceful. That case will take its own course with the school authorities and with An Garda Síochána.

This is a timely motion. I look forward to the Minister of State's response and to the Government's timeline for delivering on the commitment in the programme for Government. There are many people who, unfortunately, have gone to their graves having been criminalised. In their memory, and for those who are perhaps still alive, it is right that they receive justice regarding their sexuality.