Rabbi Zalman Lent:

I will address the fear that legislating for suicide might open the floodgates. Everyone present is cognisant of the fact that any woman who is contemplating a termination is not in a good place, regardless of whether that termination occurs.

We need to approach this compassionately, taking account of the feelings of the woman and to trust in our medical professionals. As a father of four children born in Ireland, I believe we must place our trust in the medical professionals that they will be able to decide when this is and is not genuine. The low percentage of three in 100 suicides is to the credit of our mental health professionals. From a Jewish point of view, every case must be taken on its merits. Where there is a serious risk to the life of the woman, intervention is recommended.

On Senator Crown's point, I recommend he take a quick leaf through the Old Testament which refers to large numbers of powerful women throughout the history of the Jewish people who were judges and prophets.