Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children

Heads of Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013: Public Hearings (Resumed)

1:35 pm

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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What has been determined for me over the past few days is that there are definitely two sides to this issue, which are presented exceptionally eloquently. There is a constant thread from one argument - that we do not need to enact legislation and that we could do exactly what the Supreme Court wanted us to do by use of regulation. From a lay person's point of view, can the witnesses explain what the difference is with regard to the Constitution? If we actually enshrined a woman's eligibility for a termination in regulation, as against enshrining it in law, what difference does that make under the Constitution today, if any? Perhaps it does not make any difference.