Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed by what the Minister said. It seems that no amendments except those tabled by the Government parties will be accepted. We are all here with goodwill trying to make the best that we can of the Bill. I, too, am concerned about how we sustain the life of the unborn child in the womb and ensure the foetus is not damaged by any procedure. We are not going to be in every labour ward or whatever kind of ward these services will be delivered in; neither will the Minister. That may sound crude, but I have only been in the wards where the joyful births of my own family have taken place, thank God, on eight occasions. It is a wonderful place to be, but this is a completely different situation. We do not know about it and want to have the strongest possible safeguards. That is why we have tabled these amendments and hope some of them will be accepted in good faith.

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