Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mar fhocal scor, as Chairman of the joint committee I thank everyone for their participation and forbearance this evening. Over the past three days we have discussed the issues which require consideration in the drafting of the heads of a Bill following the decision of the Government to accept the expert group's suggestion that the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of A, B and C v. Ireland be addressed by putting in place legislation with regulation within the framework of Ireland's current constitutional position, as stated in Article 40.3.3° of the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court. Over the course of our hearings, we have heard from medical and legal experts who have outlined a range of issues for further consideration. Today, we heard from representatives of religious groups and an atheist group, as well as from a range of advocacy groups, which have outlined their positions. Our meetings have enabled us to elicit much information on current medical practice, thereby allowing us all to become fully informed and aware of how current medical guidelines and practices are implemented.

As has been stated, this issue has been a very vexed question in Irish society for more than 30 years. Throughout our communities, there are sincerely-held views across a wide range of opinions and at times during previous discourse and debates, they have become very heated. However, over the past three days, these joint committee hearings in this Chamber have been conducted in a calm, tolerant and respectful way. This shows that even on this deeply sensitive issue, it is possible to engage in a manner that is measured and which facilitates a nuanced discussion. Our constructive and positive engagement has only been possible because of the approach taken by the witnesses and Members of Oireachtas Éireann, who have contributed significantly to our hearings. I thank you all for attending the joint committee and for your time, helpful contributions and thorough preparations. To my Oireachtas colleagues, both members and non-members of this joint committee, I very much appreciate the way in which you all have discussed the issue and raised your own concerns. This has contributed to demonstrating that the political system can engage in a mature way on the most difficult of issues. I wish to put on record my appreciation of the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, the Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges and the Clerk of the Seanad for allowing us to hold our hearings in the very fitting Chamber of Seanad Éireann.

I am very conscious that over a three-day period, it was not possible to invite each of the many groups and individuals who would have wished to have made an oral presentation and submission to the joint committee. Members of the joint committee, as well as other Members of the Oireachtas, made suggestions as to who should be invited to our hearings and all suggestions were considered by the joint committee before members agreed on who to invite. In deciding on who to invite, the joint committee attempted to ensure there was a fair and balanced expression of views, as well as guaranteeing it heard from experts, both academic and practising, from the legal and medical fields and from religious and advocacy groups. In particular, I thank the members of the Joint Committee on Health and Children for their help and assistance in the running of these hearings. As a committee, we have worked well together, putting aside partisan politics, as well as parking our differences of opinion on this issue. I pay tribute in particular to Deputies Kelleher and Ó Caoláin, as the representatives of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, and to Deputy Healy and Senator van Turnhout on behalf of the Independent Members, for their tremendous co-operation, assistance and work in the joint committee. I also pay tribute to members of the Fine Gael and Labour parties. I greatly appreciate their contributions and in acknowledging the decision of the Government, their assistance in the organisation of our hearings and the way in which they have engaged have greatly assisted our efforts. I hope your respective parties will be very proud of your contribution over the past three days, as well as over the past month in organising these hearings.

The organisation of these hearings has only been possible because of the immense effort of the committee secretariat. I thank the clerk to the committee, as well as Mary Lindsay and Colin Duffy, for their enormous contribution of work. They have undertaken this work during the Christmas holidays and have been at work on it both at midnight and at 6.30 a.m. They have answered promptly, courteously and efficiently, are dedicated and are an example of how public service works in this country. Now that our hearings are completed, I also wish to pay tribute to the staff from the wider committee secretariat who have supported our clerk, Colm and Mary for the duration of our hearings. I wish to put on record my appreciation of the efforts of the Superintendent of the House, the Captain of the Guard and a very co-operative team of ushers, who have made the transition to this Chamber very easy and who have been very helpful to members throughout. I also thank the staff of the Debates Office and the broadcasting and communications units, as well as our sound engineers, Ken Lane, Jordan Breslin and all the others. In addition, I thank the staff of the Library and Research Service and the office of the parliamentary legal adviser, who will continue to be of assistance to the joint committee as it prepares its report. Finally, I thank all the witnesses who have attended over the past three days and who have made the decision to hold these hearings very worthwhile.

Now that members have concluded their hearings, the joint committee will reconvene next week. At that meeting, members will commence the process of preparing a report for the Government. Its report will be a summation of the information members have gathered from all the witnesses who have given evidence and will include written submissions the joint committee has received. On its completion, the joint committee will submit the report to the Government for its information and use when drafting the head of the Bill. I thank the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, for appearing before the joint committee this afternoon and for his restatement of the important role of these hearings in the legislative process. As a committee, members welcome his confirmation that the joint committee will be used again as a source of information when drafting the head of the Bill and hopefully as part of the debate on Committee Stage. I again thank everyone sincerely for their participation in our series of constructive hearings over the past three days.