Even admitting that, "in many circumstances", it may be "right to introduce legal measures that provide some degree of protection to long-term live-in couples", card. Brady points out that such measures "must not undermine the married family". And, to those who speak of ensuring a principle of equality, he replies that "marriage and living together cannot be equated". "In fact he argues , it is precisely this bill of law that undermines the principle of equality that it pretends to support, because it applies this provision solely to sexual relations, disregarding other affective relations that should be given a certain degree of protection, such as the right to visit one’s partner in hospital or keep living in the house when the relationship ends". According to card. Brady, such a legislation "would dissolve the special status of marriage between man and women, as consecrated by the Constitution, and would be a revolution, perhaps the greatest one in the history of the family in Ireland". But will it be, wonders the primate, "a revolution that will promote the common good of society and help children and parents, or will it further erode marriage", which deserves instead to be supported "through tax concessions, welfare and social policies?"
