Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Sorry, I did not realise that. In other words, could it be left to case law? I ask for the views of the witnesses. Deputy Timmins put his finger on it. I do not think there will be a great deal of difficulty in Members and the general public subscribing to dealing with the real medical issues but suicide is definitely going to be a major controversial issue because of the experience in other countries where it has opened the floodgates. As Dr. Anthony Clare said many years ago, it is used as a wedge in many restrictive areas to bring in abortion. Should the laws we enact be just? Is there an obligation on us as legislators to be just? I ask this question purely in the context that we now know from evidence that suicide cannot be predicted with any great degree of accuracy. Therefore, given the constitutional equal right to life, we know that that law will create an injustice for many vulnerable unborn children.