Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. Dr. Mahony has stated a number of times this afternoon, as she did in January, that the legislation is all about woman's health. That has been echoed so often by the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health and many others that the message could go out that without this legislation, women's health would be at a profound disadvantage. In this room this morning we listened to other witnesses, and Professor McAuliffe reminded us - we should not need such reminding - that maternal health services in Ireland are among the very best in the world. She stated that "families should be reassured that they are receiving the very best of care during pregnancy", with Irish experience in this regard comparing "very well" with the UK and the rest of Europe.

There is the issue of a "chilling" factor, and we have allowed a myth to be created that is becoming a chilling factor. It postulates that Ireland is somehow a dangerous place for pregnant mothers and women. Will the witnesses comment on that and let us know if they agree with what we heard this morning about the superb current state of services in Ireland for pregnant women, with maternal health care in this country virtually second to none? Dr. Mahony expressed grave concern here in January about the current legislative position but when asked if she had ever been unable to intervene to save the life of a mother in her hospital because of the current legal position, I believe she stated she had not been unable to do so and had always been able to act. Will she comment on that?

I fully agree with Dr. Mahony's comment today that suicide is death, but I would invite her to agree with my statement that abortion is also death. All of us should try to ensure that with whatever legislative changes we enact, the medical changes that will be required, along with the investment spoken of by Senator Crown and others, must be addressed to ensure that the spectres of both suicide and abortion are removed as far as practicable from the landscape.

The witness indicated surprise at how the 1861 Act remains in force, but it is still operational in Britain, where we are exporting our problem. The 1861 Act in Britain is not stopping the huge abortion problem there. Perhaps we should take that fact on board as well.