Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for the manner in which he has chaired these proceedings, and the clerk and his staff for the support they gave the committee over these three days and over the Christmas and new year period as well. I thank all the witnesses who have come before the committee for their presentations and submissions. The interaction and exchange with the witnesses has been informative, and will help the committee and the Government in drafting legislation in the weeks and months ahead.

This is an emotive subject and a difficult and sensitive area, and must be dealt with sensitively and compassionately. I believe that there is an imperative on the Oireachtas to deal urgently with this issue. It is not an option to continue as heretofore.

As the Minister said, the proposed legislation will be based on the probability of a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother. We are talking about limited, narrow and rare occurrences, identified as such by the medical witnesses who came before us. I believe that the area of fatal foetal abnormality could and should be dealt with in the legislation. Dr. Simon Mills identified what he described as middle ground and put forward a sample Bill which may be a good template for the future legislation. The Minister and his Department should consider it very closely in framing this legislation.