James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will go through the questions in order. Deputy Boyd Barrett has left but I believe I answered his questions in any event. In the interests of absolute clarity, if Deputy Mulherin checks the record she will discover that I did not use the term "emergency decision". Part of my argument as to why it would be neither tenable nor permissible to include a cooling-off period is that this would be prescriptive and that a woman could die during such period. That is the reality. I do not believe doctors would be satisfied with that and I certainly do not believe the House would like to be held responsible in this regard. I understand the Deputy's concerns in respect of the controls relating to this matter. I am very much of the view - which the Government shares - that this Bill will protect the unborn in every way possible and, nonetheless, that it will also respect the life of a woman in circumstances where her life is threatened and where the risk in this regard can only be averted through a termination of pregnancy.

I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy White, to address the issue raised by Deputy Shortall. Deputy Creed referred to quality of life. In the first instance, what he described could happen now in any event. The Bill does not alter the position in this regard in any way. It is important to note that the judgment handed down by the Supreme Court in the X case refers to a threat to life rather than to health. The quality of life issue is, therefore, not contemplated by that judgment. I accept that the Deputy is approaching the matter from a different angle.