Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The legal clarification I received was that “shortly after” was too vague. Furthermore, in conversations I had with medics, including senior members of the profession, they welcomed and sought greater clarity in our legislation. They must have their guidelines but these must be based on and anchored in the law. Their view and mine is that “shortly after” is too vague to provide that anchor. That is where it came from. It may be that between now and Report Stage, people will come forward with contrary views but I feel strongly that this is an appropriate period, that it provides legal certainty where “shortly after” did not, that it does not provide a substantive difference to what we aimed to achieve and that it provides a period - the neonatal period - that medics understand.