Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will not go back over the calibre and professionalism of the speakers or discuss bias because none of this is about bias. It is about tactics and undermining a process. It is about the status quolosing a grip on what they feel is the moral standard in any given country or over women's access to health care. This is the sting of a dying wasp and we do not need to discuss whether it is bias or not. We can see the calibre of speakers we had before us. If anything in relation to bias, I left the room many times looking at the level of time some speakers were given. One week when speakers were supposed to have six minutes, Senator Mullen had three times that and I had my own six minutes. However, I do not leave here screaming "Bias" and saying that my voice was not heard. This room was representative of the mandates of the membership. All parties and technical groups are here. We all have a mandate to be here and we should all abide by the same rules. If one looks at the list of speakers, I submitted six and only two of whom were chosen. Deputy Mattie McGrath had three or four chosen. We all put our individual speakers in and I am sure the proportion is spread according to the people in the room. There is no bias. It is not our fault if some of those speakers have pulled out.