The issue I wish to raise follows on from the discussion on the apology with respect to rights last night. Under the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, difficulties are being experienced by same-sex couples in obtaining children's birth certificates, passports and other State documents. Is there a timescale for when that matter will be resolved? It probably involves a number of Departments. The Minister, Deputy Harris, is dealing with the issue which is impacting on many families. We have all been lobbied on it. Can it be dealt with sooner rather than later?

I call Deputy Mitchell on the same matter.

It is three years since the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 passed through the Oireachtas. This was truly an historic Act, ensuring the same parental rights for same-sex parents under law. The Government has yet to commence Parts 2 and 3 and section 99 of that legislation, which means that many families are facing serious difficulties. It was reported in the media last week that the Minister, Deputy Harris, hoped to bring forward legislation to Cabinet in the coming days and that he intended to introduce the legislation before the summer recess. Will the Taoiseach give us an update on the position?

I call Deputy Ó Laoghaire on the same matter.

During the debate last night, which was quite significant, there was much discussion on the need for the apology to be more than symbolic and to be part of ensuring full equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The lack of legal protection in this area is causing huge difficulty with respect to birth certificates, passports and kinship rights, which can arise when people are in hospital and so on. It is vital that this be addressed. I hope the Minister can respond positively in this regard.

On the same matter, I advise the Taoiseach and the Ministers that it would be difficult to underestimate the level of grief and difficulty being caused for families and individuals by the failure to enact this legislation.

I am sure the Minister will appreciate that as children grow older families want to holiday abroad and in many cases their parental status puts their ability to do that, as a family and with their children, completely in doubt. They feel much discriminated against, notwithstanding all the good progress we all rightly celebrated last night.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I assure all Members that the Government shares their sense of urgency and wants to resolve this matter. The Deputies are entirely correct. I intend to go to Cabinet shortly with a view to bringing about a legislative solution on which I hope we will work, on a cross-party basis, with a view to passing it by the summer recess. There are two vehicles through which we could do this, either through a simple stand-alone Bill or by including it in other legislation that will come before the House before the summer recess.