I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Jack Chambers, for attending. The foreign births register is a particular register held by the Department of Foreign Affairs and is also known as the citizenship by descent register. Its normal use is in the context of passports being claimed by people who are perhaps the children of Irish citizens living abroad, and it is the method by which they obtain an Irish passport. However, it also has particular uses and requirements within Ireland. For example, if an individual become…

I really appreciate the Minister of State's reply. An Irish passport is a precious document and there should be no shortcuts in applying for it for people who are abroad and probably already have a passport of the country in which they live. Where a British citizen is seeking an Irish passport on the basis of descent, for example, that is a reasonable proposition. The case I have outlined is not the same. These are children who have no other state. It has been adjudicated on by the High Court that they are Irish ci…

I thank the Minister of State.

As someone about to undergo my patent examinations, I am interested in the Minister of State's answer.

I welcome the students from Dalkey School Project in Dún Laoghaire. They are guests of Senator Barry Ward and they are very welcome to the Seanad. I welcome the Minister of State to the House.

I have come in here on many occasions and advocated for access to fertility. I speak ad nauseam , probably, about surrogacy, but also noting the fact that people with disabilities need access to surrogacy. It has been the consistent theme I have had with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, as we bring through the AHR Bill. That comes from and is prompted in me by the extraordinary work of Selina Bonnie, a disability activist and changemaker. Sadly, Selina passed away last week. I want to pay tribute to her on the record…

We should all declare our agenda.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I thought for a horrible moment I would not get a chance. I have heard both men and women represented here today. When we look at the Constitution, we must consider that it is the overarching document by which the Supreme Court has to make decisions in the interpretation of legislation. Therefore, any legislation that goes through this House gets the presumption of constitutionality. However, that presumption has to be tested in the court and yesterday we saw that. We saw a situation wher…

Too many for all of us. I sit on the housing committee and the children committee. I can tell the Senator that many an NGO has come in and absolutely torn the Government apart because that is democracy. In fact, we fund them to do it at times in order to point out where our deficiencies are. The idea that their loyalty or “Yes” votes can be bought or coerced is one that I find objectionable - it is obscene, to be perfectly honest.

I will be voting a very strong "Yes" to this amendment to the Constitution and will do so with a very glad heart. I believe that the description of women as set out is dated and is not reflective of an inclusive modern Ireland and of how care and duties in families are reflected in a modern Ireland. Let us look at what a "No" vote would do. A "No" vote would leave it in there - a piece of the Constitution that has no material effect on people's lives. We will have a redundant article in the Constitution that is not…

The Minister should go back to the bit where I was right.

I hear what everybody is saying and I very much respect the emotion that is involved. I stand here as a married person whose family is not included in this amendment, so it is not without its boundary. I think it is important that we keep the debate at an academic level. We are Senators, and it is important that the debate is not too personalised and that we do it like that. However, I think this referendum is absolutely necessary. It is very important that we widen the span, definition and understanding of the con…

Tomorrow.

I am grateful to be able to debate this legislation to amend our Constitution. It is an extraordinary privilege to be in the Seanad and to be able to speak to it. I do not believe that this article has inhibited me at any point in my life. I need to say that. I do not believe it needs to be removed because it has been a blockage to me. However, in the past, it has led to assumptions or described particularly traditional positions in Ireland that, thankfully, are no more. Thankfully, we legislated for change and rem…

I do not have the permission of the Leader to do that. The Senator will remember we dealt with this before Christmas on the rather excitable day in the House.

Certainly, I will text the Leader and ask her.

Tomorrow.

I echo the comments of my colleagues in wishing Tom Hickey a very happy retirement. I thank him for his professionalism and courtesy. I also thank all the Seanad staff and everyone who makes this House function. Extraordinary work goes on behind the scenes. I came in today to pay tribute to the work of Sam and Odette Doran and to celebrate the opening to the public of the interim remediation scheme through the Housing Agency's website, housingagency.ie , last Monday. That scheme is to assist all of those who have b…

I thank the Minister for bringing forward the legislation. He said he would, he has done so and here we are. He gave very strong assurances when discussing legislation tabled by Members of the House. He said repeatedly he would bring in this legislation. He has been here twice this week and I say well done and congratulations and I thank him very much. Senator Malcolm Byrne has robbed all of my lines. The Minister has shown a consistency of support for women's healthcare and a dedication to making sure that women h…

The term "time to time" is the term of art in contract law that means on more than one occasion. It provides a discretionary provision within the Bill. It is entirely appropriate in its use in the Bill and I support its use.