Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses to today's meeting. On the suicide issue, I am afraid that if people have come here to argue that suicide as a risk to the life of a mother should not be in this legislation, then there are here under a false premise. We have to legislate for the threat of suicide to the life of a mother because that is the very basis of the X case for which we are legislating. The Constitution states under Article 34.4. 6°, "The decision of the Supreme Court shall in all cases be final and conclusive." We have had two referenda to underwrite and stand over that decision made in 1992. We have to legislate for suicide. The discussion we are having here is not whether or not we legislate for suicide but how best that can be done.

I want to make sure the delegations answer my following question. They are here to lobby politicians. What type of lobbying do all those present believe is appropriate and inappropriate when lobbying politicians on this particular issue?