Norris welcomes UK gay marriage outcome

David Norris (Ind) said he had been "dislodged" from speaking on gay marriage at the constitutional convention. Welcoming the House of Commons vote on same-sex marriage, Mr Norris said he thought he had spoken effectively and had got things changed at the first meeting of the convention. However, fellow Independent Ronan Mullen was to be the speaker on this subject when the convention considered it.

The Taoiseach did not seem to be committed to dealing with homelessness, a Labour member said. John Kelly told the House that on his way to the Oireachtas yesterday he observed seven people lying rucksack-clad in doorways. This was completely unacceptable. He did not see political leaders becoming engaged with this. "In view of the Magdalene laundry disclosures, it had to be asked if at a future time our failure to deal with homelessness would not be regarded as a similar crime against our citizens."

John Crown (Ind) said he had to question the evidence contained in the McAleese report to back the assertion that the laundries had been run at little or no profit. The compilers of the report seemed to have had no independent advice in this regard.