Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I think in all cases it is a matter for the medical profession. I do not believe we should put gestational timeframes into primary legislation. That is the first proposal I will put forward. I will put it to the committee as an amendment and I hope it will be included in our votes next week as an option.

The second point relates to module 1. We have to give some recognition to the process that the Citizens' Assembly undertook. In dealing with module 1, the assembly had several options available. The first option on ballot paper 1 was that the eighth amendment would not be retained in full. The committee has already made a decision on that matter. Therefore, that proposal or option should not be discussed next week. Let us suppose we follow the path taken by the Citizens' Assembly. The next option put to them was ballot paper 2. I intend to propose a corresponding proposal as the first vote that we take next week in respect of module 1. That ballot paper had three voting options for members of the assembly.

The options were first, repeal of Article 40.3.3o; second, replace or amend it; and third, prefer not to state an opinion. The first vote next week should be on whether we are in favour of repeal of Article 40.3.3o. If this is agreed by the committee then there will be no need to address the third option, which coincidentally is the option which the Citizens' Assembly settled on in its ballot paper. If the repeal question is not passed by the committee then the next option will be ballot paper 3, which is the Citizens' Assembly recommendation, on which it eventually settled. I am proposing that this is the format we take next week. As I said, the first vote of the committee should be on repeal of Article 40.3.3o. If this is agreed then in my opinion module 1 will be completed. If it is not agreed, we should then follow through on all of the Citizens' Assembly recommendations.