Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat a Aire, an Teachta Harris, chomh maith as ucht a bheith linn. Tá fearadh na fáilte roimh an t-Aire chun an cheist, suntasach, tábhachtach, stairiúil seo a phlé anocht. I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for being here. In doing that, I want to acknowledge the role undertaken in regard to the eighth amendment committee by Senator Noone and by colleagues who were members of that committee.

I am very conscious of the historical and political significance of this Bill. I am conscious of the privilege it affords me to be part of the democratic process. What this Bill seeks to do, regardless of much of the noise around it - which, I have to say, is mostly outside these Houses - is to extend to the citizens of this State that same privilege, that is, to be part of the democratic process and to be able to have their say. In keeping with the spirit of this debate so far, I respect that there will be a divergence of views, some of them deeply held, in regard to the broader theme surrounding this issue. However, it would be remiss not to say I am amazed by people who come in and laud the democratic process but then vote against the Bill which would seek to give citizens a say. The Constitution should not be written in stone. As other speakers have said, much more articulately and better than I could, it has been well over 30 years since people have had their say in regard to what I believe, and we will argue, is a bad law. It is a bad law that has failed women; it is a bad law that has seen women lose their lives as a result of its insertion into the Constitution. I believe that, because of all that has been said, and because of not just the legacy of the eighth amendment but its live impact on the lives of women in this State, we have an obligation to repeal it. However, in the first instance, at the very least, we should extend the most basic commodity of any democracy to its citizens, and that is to give them a democratic vote and a democratic say in regard to this institution.

I have touched on the history of the eighth amendment and its live impact. I would not even begin to try to relay some of the historical stories and experiences that relate to it such as have been articulated by Senators Kelleher, Bacik and others so ably and so sincerely. I believe my trying to do that would only do it an injustice and a disservice. It has been said in this House why the eighth amendment should go.

This year we marked the centenary of some women getting the vote 100 years ago and we will also mark the historic 1918 election and the creation of the first Dáil. Again, I would contest to Seanadóirí, regardless of their view on the broader issue, that we should give people their say and give them the opportunity to take part in this democratic expression, which I believe is fundamentally required to help save the lives of women who have been forced into dangerous and precarious situations they should never have had to face. I do not believe our anatomies should feature in any constitution. I do not believe a man's ever would and I do not believe there is a place for a woman's in any constitution moving forward.

I will be campaigning for a repeal of the eighth amendment. I only wish I had a vote in that referendum and, if I had, I would vote for a repeal of the eighth amendment. While I do not say this to be politically contentious, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge women in the Six Counties, who will not even have the opportunity afforded to them that, hopefully, the women of this State will have in the next number of months. I hope we can ultimately get to the situation where not only do women not have to travel from Dublin, Galway or Cork to Liverpool or London, but women from Ballycastle, Belfast and Newry do not have to travel to Dublin, or women from Derry or Omagh to Donegal. That is my hope moving forward.

It is my hope because, as many other colleagues have said, in this instance I trust women but I also trust our doctors, clinicians and health care professionals, as well as the experts on law and science who presented to the eighth amendment committee. There will be lots of statements during this campaign, if this Bill passes, and they will be made both outside and inside these Houses. We have set a good example tonight in terms of the tone and I hope that example and tone prevails inside the Oireachtas as we move ahead. However, I believe the most profound statement that has to be made has to come from the people of this State themselves. They have to have the ultimate say, both men and women, which I believe is an important point. I would aspire to a situation where they make the right decision and where we see a repeal of the eighth amendment.