My father respected and admired my mother and was a person who was always standing by my side encouraging me to do more and believed in my capacity. So in that sense my own experience was very good in becoming an empowered woman. From early on I carried that strong message: 'You can do it.' So I never had any doubt that women can do a lot.

A woman's experience is different from a man's in virtually every respect including how she is treated by the media.

I very rarely came across rude or disrespectful people. I don't know how I slipped by all of them but I honestly can't think of one experience off the top of my head that was like that. I'm sure they're there but I'd have to think really hard to recall them.

Of two pleasures if there be one which all or almost all who have experience of both give a decided preference irrespective of any feeling of moral obligation to prefer it that is the more desirable pleasure.

I joined the Labour party because I believed in equality in freedom of speech and in tolerance compassion and understanding for people irrespective of their background and views. In whatever I decide to do in the future I will hold to those principles.

As an actor you just want to work and then you just want to be on a show or have a job that you love and you hope that job will last - those things have happened. To have that platform to then talk about something that is very personal to me like marriage equality it feels like a gift. I try and really respect that voice and not abuse it.

The mandate I have received and for which I will speak with heart and head to implement over the next seven years had its four pillars - an inclusive citizenship equality and participation and respect in a creative society creating an excellence in everything we Irish do.

Free trade is very important if we respect equality among nations.

The people of Canada have worked hard to build a country that opens its doors to include all regardless of their differences a country that respects all regardless of their differences a country that demands equality for all regardless of their differences.

Civilization is built on a number of ultimate principles... respect for human life the punishment of crimes against property and persons the equality of all good citizens before the law... or in a word justice.