Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Chairman has outlined concrete steps and he should pursue them. However, much of politics is about understanding where power resides. Currently, much power resides in the Cabinet and we can sometimes exercise a bit of power. We should not be afraid to exercise our power. If we want to get the issue of maternal deaths put on the Statute book in this country as promptly as possible, we must tell the Government to get on with it, and if it does not do so, we will interfere with it. I do not know if a decision is formally required on my proposal because we set our own agenda. As a committee, we should not list for hearing a piece of legislation that is very sensitive from the Government's perspective until such time as it gets this piece of legislation before this committee. The legislation prepared by Deputy Daly is ready. The Government must put it into this other form of legislation and bring it back to us. If no pressure is put on the Government, that will not happen.