Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The amendment we shall move, the fifth, proposes changes but I actually do not support the establishment of the assembly. However, if it is to go ahead, I ask that the amendment be taken on board. The Government has got itself into an absolute mess. The Constitution, when it was amended in 1983, led to the more serious problems that successive Dáileanna have refused to consider. It has led to the death of women and to the UN Human Rights Council condemning Ireland on more than one occasion. In the case of Amanda Jane Mellet, it said the treatment amounted to "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment". I appeal to the female Deputies to listen to those words. If they, their sisters or daughters were involved, how would they feel about cruel inhuman and degrading treatment? Reference was made to a violation of Ms Mellet's privacy and of Article 26 in the context of discrimination.

Of the 5,521 non-English people who sought terminations in England in 2014, 68% were Irish. Of that percentage, amounting to 3,754 women, 135 were carrying foetuses with fatal foetal abnormalities. In Ireland, despite all the dire warnings about the floodgates opening, 26 women sought terminations owing to health risks in 2014. Only three were at risk of suicide.

We are going down the road of a citizens’ assembly because we are simply refusing to contemplate what we must face up to. This House is the citizens’ assembly. We were elected to do a job and we should do it. The year 1983 was a long time ago. Women have died in the meantime. They have suffered in the meantime because an amendment was made to the Constitution that should never have been made. Twice since 1983, a group came forward to try to make the Constitution even stricter, and the people spoke and said "No". We should use our voices in this citizens’ assembly to which we were elected as women to force a change. Let us trust women. No floodgates have opened. It is a time to respect women. Let them make up their minds in regard to a matter like this. If the Government is to go down the route of the assembly, I ask that the Government take on board my amendment. It is a positive amendment on the inclusion of politicians and on the setting of time limits.

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