Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Can the Government continue to ignore the fact that approximately ten women leave this island each day in order to end crisis pregnancies? Can it continue to ignore the fact that an unknown number of women illegally import abortion pills and risk a 14-year prison sentence by so doing because they are so desperate to end their pregnancies? Does the Government feel any obligation towards these women? No woman of childbearing age had a say in the 1983 referendum. The people of Ireland have never voted to make our abortion laws less restrictive, even though opinion polls have consistently shown that views on abortion have become far more liberal during the past three decades. Does the Government have the courage to face up to its responsibility towards women and hold a referendum to repeal the eighth amendment of the Constitution? The Minister stated that this will not happen. I find it difficult to believe that he can just dismiss the possibility out of hand. A number of Government Deputies have stated that the issue needs to be revisited but not within the lifetime of this Dáil. What is the point of being in power if one is not going to use one's power to good effect? I do not see the point of being in office if one is prepared to leave it to the next Government to take action. Is the current Government more focused on the next election than it is on the suffering caused by the denial of services to women who are seeking abortions as a result of rape, incest, fatal foetal abnormalities or serious risks to their health? The former certainly appears to be the case, which is just too bad.

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