Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We all do our best to be as fair as we possibly can towards the people who come before us. We can only deal with those who come before us; we cannot deal with those who do not. Nor can we presume that their cases will be made unless they come before us and we have the opportunity to ask them questions. That is fair. As the Chairman knows, I was among those who proposed not having a vote until we had finished the proceedings. I held that view very strongly. It does not make any difference how this committee votes, however, as it is the people who will decide. The suggestion that the committee has voted 'for' abortion is thus incorrect because it is the people and the people alone who can make that decision. The job of this committee is simply to stress-test the report of the Citizens' Assembly; find out how it came to its conclusions; and ask relevant questions of the members of that assembly and of others who have expertise or something to offer in these circumstances. I am only one person and I know that everybody here has tried his or her best to be as fair as possible and to ask pertinent questions, not necessarily in order to get the desired answer, but to get an answer that will in some way address the issues raised and conclusions reached by the Citizens' Assembly.

I would suggest, if it is of any help, that our colleagues Senator Mullen and Deputy McGrath might give us some names or indeed might themselves invite people they consider suitable to come before the committee. They should let us know in the next week or so if these people are available to come before the committee and if they would be satisfied to do so. If that means that we end up with two or three new witnesses then let us facilitate that. I am all in favour of democracy. Most of the people in question, however, have already been invited by the secretariat and most have turned this offer down. I suggest, then, that our colleagues here invite directly the people who they would like to see come before this committee. As far as I am concerned and, I am sure, as far as our Chairman is concerned, I am quite certain that we will give these witnesses every opportunity to make their case and then we will ask relevant questions.