Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In a court of law their perpetrator would not get a higher sentence compared to somebody who was attacked because of the colour of their skin, where they came from, their religion or any other characteristic, disability or otherwise. They would not be protected. They would have to produce a certificate.Should I have to produce a certificate if I am attacked because I am a woman? Should the Senator have to produce a certificate if he is physically attacked? That is what he is asking. This definition of gender is for this Bill alone. It recognises that there are people who are targeted because of who they are. There are many examples of where we have different definitions. The 2017 sexual offences Act has three different definitions of "child" in the one Act. It is not to say this is a Trojan Horse and this will change the definition of gender. There is one piece of legislation that has three definitions of a child in the one Act. We can discuss all of this but it is important we acknowledge what we are trying to do here. We are acknowledging that there are people in our society who are being targeted, assaulted and are victims of crime simply because of who they are. We know that because it is there. It is in black and white. I have just read it out. What is being proposed by many of these amendments would mean these people do not fall under this Bill and we do not recognise them. I fundamentally disagree that that is the approach we should take.