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

Where medical practitioners have particular beliefs which render them unable to participate in a specific medical procedure, it does not necessarily follow that they should be disqualified from participating in a process which calls for their clinical judgment to be applied. In situations where they are being called upon to assess whether there is a real and substantial risk to a woman's life, I believe we can trust doctors to apply their professional skill and clinical judgment to ensure the woman receives the best possible care and treatment. If we are to follow the logic that anybody who has proclaimed they would not perform an abortion or have a difficulty with it from a conscientious point of view should be excluded from the assessment of these cases, then it could equally be argued that anybody who ever expressed a willingness to perform an abortion, has performed one or has certified a person to have one performed should also be excluded. We would end up with nobody being able to give an opinion in this matter. Therefore, I do not propose to accept Deputy Healy's amendments, as enunciated by Deputy Boyd Barrett.