James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not wish to be specious, but Europe did not tell us to change the law; Europe pointed out to us that we needed to clarify the law for women and for the practitioners who provide them the service. That was the purpose of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act 2013.

The best advice available to me on this issue, which is a very sensitive, sad and tragic situation, is that it would require a constitutional referendum to change the Constitution. Clearly, this is a very difficult area and the HSE is engaging with the pregnancy counselling agency on it.

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