Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Adams for his comments. As a matter of courtesy, the Minister for Health and the Ministers of State at the Department of Health will be available for briefings for the Opposition spokespersons on health if they wish. I agree the debate on this sensitive issue has been conducted to date in a measured, constructive and sensitive fashion and I hope that will continue for the discussions that lie ahead.

As I said this morning at the press conference, the law on abortion is not being changed. No new rights are being conferred on anyone. This involves a focus on the fundamental issue of legal clarity for medical personnel who work in the medical area. Certainty for women who are pregnant, both for themselves and their unborn children, there are two lives involved in each of these cases. The legislation that will emerge from the discussions surrounding the heads of the Bill will be strictly within the Constitution and strictly within the existing law and the Government is now required to act within those parameters. What is involved here is giving clarity and certainty to rights that exist within the existing law and not straying outside that. The legislation in respect of the protection of life during pregnancy will respect those two parameters completely and will also respect the right to life of the unborn, which will be upheld, and the obligation on the medical profession to save both lives where that is possible will be confirmed.

This is an issue that was very divisive in Irish society for over 30 years. I ask people to reflect on this, to bring necessary certainty and clarity to women in particular in respect of their pregnancies, their own lives and the lives of their unborn children and legal clarity to medical personnel who work in this area and who have to work within that law. The laws on abortion here are not being changed. The legislation will be strictly within the Constitution, strictly within that law and will adhere to those basic principles. I hope the discussion can be tempered and considerate in understanding what it is that it is necessary to do within those constitutional and legal parameters.

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