Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Certification and records will be very important in every way in the future. Yesterday, I mentioned that a high percentage of women in the UK have had two abortions. I do not wish to discuss that issue but the large percentage who have had up to eight abortions. I believe, and the experts believe, that a high percentage of these women are being abused. It is unknown and is not recorded. They are simply left by themselves and after each abuse are dragged in and basically forced to abort. The fact that there are no proper records of these events taking place is leaving the woman completely violated.

I hope the Minister will accept this amendment. It would provide another protection for the woman in this case, although that is true of many other parts of the Bill. To date the Minister has not accepted any of our amendments no matter how passionate we were or how compassionate they were. We have all been in hospitals where babies have been born. Listening to Deputy O'Connell, it was as if she was the only person who ever went to one of these hospitals, but we have all been there. Thousands of babies have been born in hospitals throughout the country that are second to none and have given them excellent care. This is a new route we are travelling and, if we do not keep records of what is happening, it will be difficult for us to see the mistakes that will be made here, and it is certain they will be made.

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