Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This has been a most insightful opportunity to listen and to learn.

I start by thanking the Chairman and staff of the House, and especially the expert witnesses that came before us. We can stand proud in this country to have such fine people serving the people and our patients.

It is important we say that but my key remarks will be addressed to the Minister of State. I represent non-members; we are a disparate group from all parties and both genders. We want to see the key learnings and findings from these three days taken on board and integrated into the drafting of the legislation. Regrettably, we did not see the key learnings from January built into the heads of the Bill - that would be acknowledged by some of the members of the committee - even though they were recommended.

We are linked by our underpinning concern, namely, compassion for both the pregnant woman and the children. We are coming from the two-patient principle. We believe if the Government does one thing, if it acts on the best medical practice available, it will achieve the right outcome for both. If I have learned one thing in the last few days, it is that not acting on best medical practice will lead to serious problems and will be unsafe. We have learned today that it will lead to ethical considerations that the Supreme Court judgment has been deemed not ethical and can leave the State open to liability, as was confirmed today by Dr. Craven. This is a serious issue. We also learned that we are not obliged, although it is the wish of the Government, to legislate for the X case since it is not based on best medical practice and that is our duty as legislators. I am making a call, therefore, to the Government and the Taoiseach to seriously reconsider meeting the clarity required by the European Court of Human Rights while not legislating for X.

We are also concerned about term limits and I share the concerns of many about the criminalisation of women who have been in a dark and vulnerable place. It is too stringent.

Finally, I acknowledge those women who have had abortions, the women who have been hurt by abortion in particular, who did their best to come before the committee. In their absence, I acknowledge them.