Ms Liz McDermott:

Dr. Parsons continued: "After discussing with other people, we decided this was probably not a terribly good idea because it does not really help women who have got to make this decision to hear how unpleasant it is." These are not the words of a pro-life activist but someone who performed abortions as part of his career. When I first read Dr. Parsons's words, I could not help thinking about the abortion movement's repeated claim that women must be trusted to decide about abortion. If the movement really believes women can be trusted with this decision, which ends their baby's life, the abortion debate would and should be more open about telling women what happens to their baby during abortion and how the procedure is carried out. I reiterate that I am not raising these issues out of any disrespect for the committee but because I respect democracy and want complete fairness and openness in the debate.

Since 2012, there has been a working group on abortion established by the Government, two sets of exhaustive Oireachtas hearings and legislation in 2013. We had five Private Members' Bills introduced in the Dáil, a Citizens' Assembly and now another Oireachtas committee examining the issue, all of which have focused on broadening the grounds for abortion. None of these committees or debates focus on alternatives to abortion. Earlier today, the committee heard from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, England's largest abortion provider. The Citizens' Assembly also heard from this organisation. Why has no space been provided to explore positive alternatives to abortion and hear from the many life care groups and service providers here and in other countries? What about wonderful projects such as Hugh's House, which provides a home from home for families of babies who are in hospital with potentially life-limiting conditions, or A Perfect Gift, a group of dedicated mums who prepare and deliver welcome baskets to families of all newborn babies with Down's syndrome, or Anew, an organisation which works hard to address the scandal and alleviate the problem of up to 20 homeless pregnant women living on our streets on any given night, which is scandalous? These are just some of the initiatives already taking place to offer support to women and families experiencing challenging pregnancy related circumstances. They are initiatives that work to unite rather than divide society and they should be front and centre of any debate on the eighth amendment.

Speaking from personal experience, I agree with those who say abortion is an outdated procedure, which is being increasingly undermined by scientific knowledge about life in the womb and the humanity of pre-born babies. In the 50 years since abortion was legalised in England, nearly 9 million babies have lost their lives in a brutal and sudden way. This has caused a deep, hidden pain for countless women who were convinced by the sloganeering about choice that denies abortion has any adverse after effects on women. The experience of many women who have experienced pain and regret for long periods, some of whom eventually seek and receive counselling and help to recover from their trauma, shows that the claim that abortion has no repercussions for women is untrue.

The eighth amendment on the other hand acknowledges the right to life. It does not claim to be its author - it protects it. Those campaigning for repeal of the eighth amendment do not seem to regard the right to life as inalienable and innate to every human being. Instead, they seem to wish to treat it as something granted or limited by the State based on a majority consensus on who falls within the categories of persons who are entitled to have their lives protected against all comers. If this is true, the State can also remove the right to life, which leaves all of us vulnerable at some stage of life to falling within a category of persons whom the State does not protect.

We must learn again what human rights are and that no one has the authority to grant or remove them from any human being. On World Prematurity Day last week, members may have heard a consultant paediatric cardiologist, Dr. Paul Oslizlok, explain on RTÉ the reasons there are more cases of complicated heart problems in babies in Ireland than in England, Scotland and Wales. His response to a question as to why Ireland's rate of operations is so high was revealing. He stated we do not have termination of pregnancy on the island of Ireland, whereas in England, Scotland and Wales these pregnancies would probably have been terminated. We can see, therefore, that our doctors have gained world class experience of paediatric heart surgery precisely because of the presence of the eighth amendment and we do not resort to aborting these babies. This expertise would most definitely be lost if the position were to change.

We have two paths ahead of us. If the eighth amendment is repealed or amended, we will deny certain unborn babies the legal protection to life. If we vote to keep the eighth amendment, we can and must commit to making Ireland a society worthy of the most vulnerable and defenceless members of the human family by fully resourcing the provision of high quality support and care for pregnant women during and after pregnancy in order that they will have the opportunity and confidence to keep going and know they will continue to be cared for and helped, irrespective of the challenges they may face.

That is the end of my submission. I thank the committee.