Saturday was a remarkable occasion. I do not think any of us anticipated the scale of the landslide. For me, one person in this House stands out, namely, my colleague and friend, Senator Ivana Bacik, who 30 years ago, when it was not popular or profitable to do so, led the movement from inside Trinity College where she was president of the students' union. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, SPUC, went against her and she was threatened with imprisonment. I take this opportunity to salute my colleague and friend for the work she did.

I would also like to acknowledge the role and courage of the Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, and Deputies Micheál Martin and Mary Lou McDonald. Fifty years ago, when I started out on my journey of seeking civil and human rights for gay people in this country, I was warned that the Roman Catholic Church would be against me and that it would destroy me. I said that would not happen because, like the other Christian churches, it has never once told the truth about human sexuality. That series of lies will come home to haunt them.

I noted a priest from Ballyfermot saying on television that this was the death of the Roman Catholic Church. I sincerely hope it is not. I would lament more than I can say if there is any slow attempted suicide of the church over many years. The two previous Popes removed, transferred, silenced and destroyed the greatest thinkers of the Roman Catholic Church.

I refer to Leonardo Boff, Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen, Charles Curran and John O'Neill. All of these people were destroyed and mediocrities were installed in their place. That is why we have this mess. I would greatly regret if the Roman Catholic Church was so seriously diminished. It has played a magnificent and brave role in the history of this country. That is despite its tragic and vicious record on the abuse of children and the resulting cover-up.

The Church of Ireland archbishops were disgraceful as well. They were appalling. It was unspeakable, the way they resiled from the position that had been taken up and courageously maintained by somebody who was worth 40 times more than each of those archbishops, the late and great Victor Griffin, Dean of Saint Patrick's Cathedral. I met several people from the "No" side. I deliberately went to talk to them because I felt that they were downcast and miserable. I put my arm around them and said that nothing had changed as far as their ideals were concerned. They can still live up to their ideals. Nobody is forcing them. All that has ended is the imposition of their views on other people who do not share them. The ending of that imposition can only be a good thing.

Yes, there was celebration. I was part of it and I hooted and cheered but that was because we were seeing the releasing of chains from people. It was not a celebration of abortion. People will still have abortions. It will always be sad if it is a fatal foetal abnormality. It will be a much-loved child that will be lost. However, it will be in the company and surrounded by the comfort of the family, medical advisers and friends. That is the difference.

It is unusual to see a politician praising a politician whose name appears on the same ballot paper.

That is true.

Senator Norris is to be congratulated for being so full in his praise of Senator Bacik. She deserves the recognition of the House for her work over the years. Personally, when I was a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, I found her help, advice and guidance very valuable.

Returning to the comment of Senator Feighan, I agree this is not a time for any form of triumphalism and I am certainly not going to indulge in it. There is still a sizeable minority who do not share the winning view, if we want to call it the winning view. It is important to remember though that school of thought was, once upon a time in this country, a significant majority. It is now a minority. There is a change there. The Communist Chinese revolutionary, Zhou Enlai, was asked once what his opinion was of the French Revolution and whether it was a successful event. He said it was too soon to say. People are already reading everything into Saturday's result. It is too soon to say. Something huge has definitely happened. It is seismic and on the scale of the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Senator Norris deserves the bows there, as does my party colleague, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, who was the Minister who decriminalised it. It is on the scale of Donogh O'Malley's free education scheme or Seán Lemass going up north to meet Terence O'Neill. It is going to be seen in the history books in years to come as an important time.

Many Oireachtas Members of my party - a majority - voted "No". That was their entitlement. I had no problem with that. I worked on the "Yes" side with members of all parties and my Fianna Fáil colleagues worked on the "No" side with members of all parties as well. That is a grand thing and I have no problem with it. However, I do want to say very clearly today - as Senator Feighan has said - that we have moved on now.

The referendum is over and the people have had their say. There were reservations and they were heard, understood and acknowledged. Now that the people have spoken, as a lifelong member of Fianna Fáil I expect every member of my party in the Oireachtas to support the legislation, which was clearly outlined in the draft heads of the Bill that attended the referendum. We do not want any more dancing around on the heads of pins. I am saying that in public as something upon which my party needs to reflect. We were always a party of the people and we have to reconnect with the people.

There is no question or doubt about that.

Mar fhocal scoir, many people have said it was bad to get into the practice of bringing all these young people back from abroad to vote and we might have opened Pandora's box. I say to those who thought as much that they should be very afraid. Young people have become engaged and politicised and they will stay that way. It is up to politicians to stay ahead of them rather than be dragged behind them.

Hear, hear.