Eight-session debate on ‘safeguarding the family ’

Hardly will the result of the divorce referendum have been digested that the House of Representatives kicks off on Monday morning an eight-session debate on an opposition motion proposing structures to safeguard and help strengthen the family.

At a meeting of the House Business Committee yesterday afternoon, it was agreed to hold morning and afternoon sessions from Monday to Thursday – with the possibility of also having a session or two on Friday for good measure.

The opposition motion was presented by MPs Carmelo Abela, Justyne Caruana and Marie Louise Coleiro Preca. Speaking on the party’s One Radio last March, Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat described the motion as further proof that the PL wanted to take “concrete steps” towards having families with strong foundations.

He said that one needed to see what was helping families and what was hindering them from staying together, citing “financial difficulties” as one of the main factors that created pressure and problems.

During the committee’s previous meeting last week, Opposition Whip Joe Mizzi said the opposition had between 13 and 15 speakers. Leader of the House Tonio Borg said the government would be sending the opposition amendments to the motion in an effort to have an agreement on the issue.

The House has to decide whether to set up a parliamentary committee with specific responsibility for the family, give the responsibility to a select committee of MPs or leave it in the hands of the House Social Affairs Committee, chaired by Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo.

Between February 23 and March 16, the House dedicated 10 sittings to the divorce referendum motion.