Tonight, from 7-8.30pm, will be the first stage of debate on a Private Members’ motion being introduced by Deputy Brendan Howlin (the second stage will take place at some point during tomorrow’s running order). The motion will seek to restore the Civil Unions Bill to the Order Paper – a move which would see the Bill move straight to committee stage. Eight months ago, Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats combined to vote to suspend the Bill for 6 months, knowing that doing so would delay the Bill until after the Dáil was dissolved, causing the Bill to automatically fall.
During the debate in February, Charlie O’Connor TD (FF, Dublin South-West) said: “Gay and lesbian people are members of our families. They are sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces. They are our neighbours, constituents and friends. It is not acceptable for them to be treated differently or unfairly.” I have contacted him in advance of the debate tonight, and he assures me that he’s greatly concerned with my argument, and that he will be pushing for support within his party for the Bill to be allowed to proceed to committee stage.
Also speaking during that same debate, Fiona O’Malley TD (now Senator, PD deputy for Dún Laoghaire at the time), said: “The Labour Party is to be commended for introducing this Bill because it has brought the issue into sharp focus. As Deputy Andrews stated, the Government is responsible for being a little tardy in dealing with this issue. It puts it up to us as to whether we are prepared to legislate to grant equality to all citizens.” Fine words indeed, and Fiona has rushed to assure all those around her since, that voting down the Civil Unions Bill was one of the toughest actions she had to take during the last Dáil session. It remains to be seen whether 8 months later she can convince Mary Harney and Noel Grealish to reverse their stance on this issue.
Moving to those who sat on the other side of the house 8 months ago. Finian McGrath TD (Ind, Dublin North-Central) at the time said: “Deputies should open their minds and hearts and support the Bill. It is concerned with accommodating and enjoying difference, diversity powering success and the gay, lesbian and bisexual people at the heart of Ireland’s progress. It is the right thing to do and I urge Deputies to support the legislation.” Deputy McGrath is one of my local TDs, but his response to my emails has only been to confirm that he is committed to an equality agenda (ie – he won’t confirm whether he’ll be voting in favour or against the motion).
Satying with people who were in opposition 8 months ago, but are now serving in Government, the Greens are under attack at politics.ie and Maman Poulet, after Ciarán Cuffe made the odd decision to speak to Newstalk, outlining what seemed to be a U-turn on the Civil Unions Bill. Attacking Michael McDowell 8 months ago, Deputy Cuffe (Green, Dún Laoghaire) said: “Still he has no indication on what he will do in the matter. Last night he claimed the Government was unequivocally in favour of treating gay and lesbian people as full equal citizens in our society. These are hollow words indeed from the other side of the House.” Fine arguments indeed. Now it appears that he has accepted the McDowell argument that we need to wait for a Supreme Court judgement in the Zappone case (an argument which doesn’t remotely stand up to scrutiny as it happens).
And so, it looks increasingly as though the motion is destined to fall, and Civil Unions will go back onto the back burner, smothered in kind words as people claim to support the idea of equality, but refuse to commit to legislate for such equality. I think people should stop focussing all attacks on the Greens. The PDs, Fianna Fáil and Finian McGrath also all included commitments to legislate for some form of Civil Unions/Civil Partnerships in recent statements or their election manifestos. If they vote against this motion, they will be proving the fallacy of those promises.
Credit is due, by the way, to both Fine Gael and Sinn Féin, whose spokespeople (Charlie Flanagan and Aengus Ó’Snodaigh respectively) have contacted me to assure me they will be supporting the motion.
