Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

At the end of a long two days on this controversial and contentious legislation, we have had a good discussion and no one has questioned anyone else’s motivations in any way. I appeal to people to accept that this legislation is within the provisions of the Constitution. I hope they do not think we could just reduce the tariff. Why would the Government decide, or the Attorney General advise, that the tariff should be 14 years if it could be less? Deputy Keaveney says we should take time. We have taken time and this issue has been addressed in considerable detail. The stark implication is that the offence in question would inevitably have to carry a sanction at the high end as this is about ending another life, the point to which the Constitution refers. Deputy Keaveney can shake his head, but there is no reality in the idea that people imagine-----