Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I listened to the Minister very carefully, as I have done throughout this legislation since its proposal, during its presentation as heads of a Bill and right through to its publication. I am very clear on everything he said, and I repeat that nowhere in section 7 does it reflect the urgency that I, as a citizen, and on behalf of those I represent, would expect to see expressly inserted. I do not see in words the assurance that we expect from the passage of this Bill, and that is the exercise here. The purpose of the Bill is to give assurance, clarity and certainty, and I believe that citizens and especially women who may find themselves in this situation are deserving of clear, expressed intent. In no way am I questioning the overwhelming majority of those practitioners who would act as the Minister rightly describes, but where there is any prospect of dilatoriness or failure to act with the urgency and immediacy that I believe would be required in these situations, these amendments improve that certainty for those who must act accordingly, and they provide assurance to women. These are the areas that I always thought the Bill sought to address.

The amendments are reasonable. They have a clear purpose. I believe they reflect the views of the overwhelming body of legislators in these Houses, and I will respectfully ask the Minister to reconsider and to accept their inclusion. A choice is being presented as to how it can be conveyed. I happen to believe that the insertion of "appropriate urgency" in amendments Nos. 23 and 44 and "immediately" in amendment No. 80 achieves this within the Bill as constructed. I would appreciate the Minister's acceptance. I did not expect or wish to see any division on this because I know that committee members broadly share this view.