Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Chairman for his professionalism during the last three days and the entire team for the way the hearings have been carried out. It has been a pleasure to be here. To have had access to the level of expertise we have had for the last three days has been humbling for someone like me. To hear their opinions, expert and personal, has been hugely informative and I have been struck by the things I have learned in the last three days that I have not considered before.

I never thought I would be an expert in anything but I have decided I am an expert, I am expert on me. I am a woman who has been pregnant five times and I have four truly great children. I do not want there to be any legal doubt whatsoever for any of the doctors who made a presentation before us, or any of the wonderful people who deliver babies in this country and provide medical treatment to women, or any legal doubt, pause or cause for concern in how they would offer treatment because of a lack of clarity in the law. On that basis, I am very pleased we will bring clarity to the law.

On the suicidality element of the legislation, I have thought about this long and hard, particularly thinking of my own children, and such an awful thing happening to anyone I care about deeply as happened to the young girl in the X case. I have come full circle and decided I would want clarity not just in the assessment of eligibility but in the speed and swiftness of the action if anything like that ever happened to someone I love.

I am glad that the last three days have provided clarity for many people, not just in these Houses, but in the wider population. I am proud to have been part of this process and I urge speed in enacting this legislation before the summer recess.