Professor William Binchy:

That is the way the Senator characterised the question. Do I believe it would be right that we should have a ground for abortion based on rape and incest? I do not, first, on the principle I stated there, namely, in those circumstances one has an innocent human being absolutely innocent of the horror of the circumstances of his or her conception.

If one maintains the position of simple respect for human life, then one does not actually countenance the taking of that human life.

I would add a pragmatic supplement. This is something that has emerged in the discussion through the afternoon today. If grounds were introduced, those grounds would in fact be wide-ranging grounds. Whatever about the theoretical appeal they might have, in practice those grounds would be interpreted broadly. Indeed, I believe I am correct in saying honestly that the advocates for those grounds believe they should be interpreted broadly. As a result, they would be likely to result in wide-ranging access to abortion.