Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Section 10 states, "A termination of pregnancy may be carried out in accordance with this section where 2 medical practitioners have examined ...", and it lists the reasons, therefore, they are the only circumstances in which a termination of pregnancy may be carried out. In other words, the termination may not be carried out in the other circumstances. That is the legal understanding of that, and I am satisfied that is robust. There is an exception, and the Deputy is on section 10. In an emergency, the priority is saving the life of the woman. That is the law of the land today, and is not a radical departure. Other than in the case of an emergency, the Deputy's understanding of it is entirely correct and tallies with my understanding of it.

The third part of the Deputy's question - this is a matter to which Deputy O'Connell also referred and I understand why people are raising it - is on the idea of extraordinary life-sustaining measures.