Debate contribution: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill: Second Stage
Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on .
- MLA
- Mr Gordon Lyons
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 15 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill: Second Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5706610
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for giving way. I believe that she is sincere in saying that that is what she believes the intent of the Bill to be. However, can she answer the questions that have been posed by Members on this side of the House about how those family conversations or pastoral conversations — things that are said in a public faith arena — would not fall under the auspices of the Bill? Mr Durkan would not take any interventions. He said that he wanted to work constructively with us, but he was not prepared to engage in debate with us. Can the Member tell us how that would not be under the auspices of the Bill? Nobody, including the Bill's sponsor, has been able to tell us why that would not be the case.
Will the Member give way?
I was happy to meet the Member; in fact, at Hillsborough Castle — I am sure that the Member will be happy to confirm this — I was the first to ask for a meeting. I have just heard from my private office that the Member had suggested that it happen after recess, but we are already straight into the debate. I apologise to the Member for that oversight. I would have been happy to meet him. I am being sincere on these issues. That is why I am speaking not in generalities but on the specifics of the legislation that is in front of us, and nobody on that side of the House is able to give me an answer.
Will the Member give way?
267 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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