Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The tragic case of Savita Halappanavar and the report of the expert group in regard to the A, B and C case is forcing us to confront an issue we have dodged for far too long, namely, the right to an abortion where a mother's life is at risk. It is my view, and that of the Labour Party in its election manifesto, that we must have legislation to give clarity as to when an abortion is legal in a situation where there is a risk to the life of the mother. I say this even though I have no great desire to see widespread abortion in Ireland.

However, as women know much better than men, the approach of new life throws up very many messy situations and as the X case and the A, B and C case have shown, some of these situations demonstrate the impossibility of the rights of the mother and the fetus being equal. Who takes precedence, for example, when the mother has cancer? At what point can a medical practitioner say definitively that the life, as distinct from the health, of the mother is sufficiently at risk to necessitate an abortion? Is it not vital to protect the mother's life, most especially if there are other children to be looked after? In my view, it is. While I regard myself as pro-life, I very much take that to mean that I am pro-life first and foremost for the mother and if her life is at risk, then the mother should be entitled to whatever treatment she needs, including abortion. We must, and I stress must, provide legislation to reflect this and the House has failed to do this for 20 years.

Added to this, I am convinced that very few Irish people would insist on a woman who has been raped having to bear the child of her rapist. What parent or husband would not support a daughter or wife if confronted by such an appalling scenario to do whatever she felt was for the best?

The Labour Party, in our election manifesto, stated we would legislate in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment and the ruling of the European Courts of Human Rights, and we got plenty of stick for this. The reality is that if Britain was not on our doorstep, we would have had to introduce abortion legislation years ago to avoid women dying from having back street abortions.

When most Irish retain a huge respect for the right to life, we must have an honest and open discussion on this subject and come up with legislation we can live with. As this is first and foremost a women's issue, they should lead the discussion, If it were constitutionally possible, I believe the decision should be left entirely in women's hands. It is not a man's body that is on the line when carrying a new baby. That is why is should be left to women.

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