Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Many of us on this side agree with the difficulty but probably for different or polar opposite reasons. The question does remain and the phrase "extraordinary life-sustaining measures" is extremely vague. At the last engagement we discussed the necessity to detail 28 days. We could not leave for a lack of clarity because that would put medical practitioners on the hook, to a certain extent, in terms of not knowing what to do.

It seems to me that by inserting the phrase "extraordinary life-sustaining measures" one will reduce what viability is and, therefore, there will be a higher test for viability. I have a nephew who was born at 24 weeks. Extraordinary life-sustaining measures were taken to allow him to survive and I thank God that he has survived. I am not sure that he would be considered viable according to this Bill.