Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the opportunity to come in for a moment. I was at a meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight, which is obviously relevant to the House in a big way. It would be out of order not to attend that.

I will say a few brief words. First, I congratulate Senator Warfield and his Sinn Féin colleagues on bringing forward the motion. It is timely and important and will have unanimous support. It is a privilege to lend my own support to it.

I acknowledge the presence of Senator Norris today.I did not hear any of the previous speeches but I assume Senator Norris was applauded in a general way. He is very much the hero in the background today. When it was neither profitable nor popular, as the country expression goes, Senator Norris was saying these things and advocating in this way. He showed great courage in that regard.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, whom I know from his dealings in another area is a reforming Minister. I have a personal interest in the issue of gambling and he has been extraordinarily responsive in that regard. That is not the issue under debate today but I know he will respond.

I salute the NGOs, including the various gay rights organisations. I will not go through the organisations listed here but they merit salutation for their work in the background. No more than Senator Norris, they were working when it was less popular and much more difficult.

Before I speak to the motion, I make the point that the seminal event of which we in Ireland can be very proud, one which distinguishes us in many ways and says much about our European values and our values in every respect, is that we were at the avant-garde and the front of adopting marriage equality with such enthusiasm and in such numbers nationally. We can be very proud of that as a people and as a House. It is no harm to clap ourselves on the back in respect of that significant achievement and advance. It obviated many other things and was a wonderful development. Fair is fair in these matters. In her day, the former Minister, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, was very courageous. She was ahead of the curve on this and merits acknowledgement today.

I support the motion. We are a civilised people and have learned over time that we should adopt the principle of live and let live. When people wish to live according to their personal preference and give expression to their personal sexuality, that should be the case. Nobody should be curbed in any of these matters other than when it infringes on others, and that is certainly not the case here. The motion is important. The dignity of every person should be recognised. Everyone's right to existence, self-expression, personal fulfilment and their own dignity and self-importance is a core value that we should acknowledge.

The motion calls for "the immediate introduction of legislation and a scheme that would disregard the criminal records of gay men convicted of historical offences in Ireland."That is a very good proposal and I know the Minister was affirmative in his response. It is fundamental and a sine qua nonfor closure, which is a great contemporary word. It would represent significant closure on a bleak, dark and sad past. That should be very much the case and that legislation should be advanced as soon as possible to proceed unanimously and efficiently through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the motion, which has my support. There are other Senators waiting to come in. When I think of society here at the time I was born and what this country was then, it is wonderful to see to where we have now progressed to in these areas. I am glad to have lived to see that day.