Sorry about that.

Senator Clonan can talk about his own amendment. I am making that point.

I thank the Tánaiste for having come here and I wish him well in the Dáil. I also thank my Fianna Fáil colleagues for tabling this important motion for discussion this evening. It is remarkably courageous of you, a Chathaoirligh, to stay in the Chair following the recent torpedo you received from the Chinese Embassy in Dublin for congratulating the people of Taiwan on their election, but these things happen. I want to talk about a small number of issues. I agree completely with what Senator Mullen said about that n…

I would like to be identified with the sentiments the Cathaoirleach has expressed about the departure from this Chamber of Senator David Norris and to echo the sentiments expressed by the President and Taoiseach of Ireland and the colleagues who have spoken already on this matter. Senator Norris was elected for the first time in 1987. Believe it or not, I was elected to Dáil Éireann in the same year. It seems a long time ago – a different century. He did something which I never did, that was, he held his seat for a…

He is willing to join in laughing at himself. As has been said here today, he has championed the underprivileged. I can attest to that. He has represented the educationally underprivileged graduates of Trinity College a long time. Those of us who represent the graduates of NUI are glad that he has been here to see justice done for that group. He has, in addition, done so much for other causes – the Palestinians, and issues like South Africa and apartheid that we are all forgetting today. All I want to say is that o…

Not agreed.

One might not have understood from the Minister of State, Senator Hackett's contribution, that this debate this afternoon and this section of it, is to deal with the definition of the family. It is not to deal with archaic language about women in the home or anything of that kind.

It is not the same thing. Let us be clear about this. No insult is offered to anybody for querying the wisdom of what is being proposed here. The first thing we should remember about the Constitution is that "an teaghlach" is the Irish word used in the Constitution to cover the family. One will not find anywhere in the Constitution any reference to the proposition that a woman's place is in the home. It is simply untrue to assert that. It is being asserted day in and day out. RTÉ uses that phrase "women's place in …

Why does the Minister value marriage?

Is it a secret?

It is because there is a commitment to the other party.

I am glad to hear the Minister say it.

They respect the Constitution as it is.

I want to say a couple of words about the debate which has just passed because the Minister took it upon himself to look for a "Yes, Yes" vote. He is clearly twinning these two proposals. He is entitled to do so; I do not object to that. However, I want to say one thing. Reflecting on what was said in the House in the past hour, I do not understand that the State puts any particular extra value on marriage any more. I do not believe that we are not in the process of making so-called durable relations - whatever the…

It is a broader agenda which has been driven by a tiny minority in Ireland and a small and broken minority within the Government.

Why do we have maternity leave then?

Why do we have maternity leave now?

The Senator wanted me to listen.

I am listening to the Senator.

Why do we have maternity leave then?