I echo that tribute to the late John Naughten. Like everyone else, I was deeply saddened by the news. I have known the family and his wife, Breda, since our schooldays. I join in expressing sympathy to Mrs. Breda Naughten, Mrs. Kitty Finnerty, to John's children and all the family. May he enjoy an eternal rest now. I am sorry that I have to oppose today's Order of Business. Here we are again, it seems, with a proposal to guillotine important legislation. We should never be having the guillotine in this House. That …

I welcome the Minister to the House and I thank her for taking on board, in part at least, the criticisms of the Bill that were made in this House. It is fair to say that if it was not for the Seanad, we would not be in the place we are in today. The Government has taken on board, at least temporarily, the serious concerns people had about this legislation in its original form, as passed by the Dáil, and its implications for legitimate freedom of expression on important issues of controversy. That is not to say the…

Let me sum it up. The Minister has spoken about what she is taking out. She has said we should be satisfied with what she is leaving in. The definition of "gender" confuses gender, which is objective and has to deal with the male-female binary, and gender identity and expression, which you might also see fit to include as a basis for protecting a group. Confusing them and redefining them all as being part of "gender" is an unprecedented step. That should not go into the statute law of our country. It should certain…

Of course. I always take a point from the Senator, though I might not agree with it.

That is a classic tactical point that Government Senators repeatedly make. What I have noticed in the past here is that other Senators might come in and set out. I have not repeated myself hardly once in the context of what I have set out. I cannot believe that my colleague and friend, Senator Ward, said what he said. Here we are for the first time in more than year since we last discussed this issue and we have not been consulted with even once by Government. We have raised issues. We persuaded the media, mainstre…

That I accept. Using the Government's majority.

When Senator Ward tells me he is uncomfortable about the use of the guillotine, I will listen with more eagerness to what he has to say about the relative length of speeches. This is one speech that has to be made, however, because there is a lot that is still wrong with the Bill.

The Senator said "Committee Stage". Can I offer the Senator a point of information?

It is the least the Senator could do. Senator Ward said “Committee Stage”. We have not had discussion on Committee Stage. Everybody had one speech on Second Stage in the Seanad and this is Committee Stage.

Will Senator Ward take a point of information? I did not dispute that view today that judges have latitude in this area.

And in the Government.

I got my quota.

There is a new definition.

I never said it did.

I wish.

I would be delighted if you went back to it. You have been manipulating gender very conveniently for years.

It says, gender bending.

Lavish is the word.

I am surprised by the personalised approach taken by Senators Ward, Flynn and, to a lesser but somewhat existent extent, Sherlock to attacking our concerns. Those of us who have concerns about this Bill have set them out very carefully. The difference between Senator Ward and me is that I acknowledged the point of view that the other side had. I expressed, for example, why I could see the argument that a particular person who was a victim of a particular crime coming from a particular group-----

I am just looking at him; I am speaking to the Acting Chair. He is a beauty to behold, no more than myself. I accept the argument but my point is simply this: on balance, it is dangerous to go tiering victims and it is best left to courts to make rulings in sentencing having regard to all of the circumstances in the case of an offence, including a hatred motivation. I should be allowed to say that without being demonised by Senator Ward, Senator Flynn or others. The more strident and dogmatic they are in insisting …