Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

First, I take the opportunity to express my own deepest sympathy to the family of Savita Halappanavar. This is an appalling loss which has, rightly, touched the hearts of all Irish people. It is, of course, true to say we do not yet know the full circumstances of what happened, but anybody who listened to Savita's husband yesterday has to be deeply concerned having heard his very dignified and moving account of what happened to Savita. I thank Deputy Niall Collins for the tone with which he raised the issue this morning. It is one of those issues on which we are all reminded of our duties, as legislators. It is not a moment for shrill voices but for respect for a grieving family, dignified discussion and determined action.

We have to await the outcome of investigations under way into Savita's very tragic death, but there are issues we have to address and to which we need to bring legal clarity. Essentially, it centres on what happens in a set of circumstances where a woman's life is at risk and medical professionals may not be entirely clear on where the lines of their responsibilities and duties lie. These were the issues addressed in the cases which went before the European Court of Human Rights and it was to address these issues that the Government decided, on its formation, to establish an expert group, chaired by a High Court judge and made up of medical and legal experts, to bring to the Government recommendations on what steps we could take. That group has now reported to the Minister for Health. I understand the Taoiseach and I will receive the report some time today and it will be considered by the Government. It will, of course, be a decision for the Government as to whether it will be published. There is a timeline with which we have to comply, as we are required to make a further report to the Council of Europe by the end of this month. We will comply with that requirement. Therefore, the steps will be as follows: the report is in - the Minister for Health obviously needs time to consider it and judge what issues arising from it he will bring to the Government; it will be considered by the Government; a decision will have to be made on its publication; and a decision will also have to made on how it is to be dealt with in the House.

We all need to be clear on this issue. It is 20 years since the Supreme Court made its finding in the X case. It is time to bring legal clarity to the issue. It was to that end that we set up the expert group and we will now deal with the recommendations in the report made to us.

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