Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I urge the Government representative in the House to acknowledge the broad consensus in the House for the holding of the referendum on repealing the eighth amendment. Recently, we had a debate on legislation which sought only to provide an additional choice to women seeking terminations for medical reasons. It was the choice to avoid travelling to England, to avoid being subjected to cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. That evening and the day following, we had a very respectful and honest debate. Many in the Chamber and others watching outside were moved by the personal contributions, in particular those of Deputy Boyd Barrett and others. In the course of the debate we heard many voices in support of repealing the eighth amendment. The answer from the Government benches to the calls for a referendum was not "No". In fact, I believe it is rather obvious that there is broad consensus on this issue. The broad consensus is that we need a referendum. The answer from the Government side was that we should do the right thing, but not now. I realise that my granny is not the only granny to have said it, but it is never the wrong time to do the right thing. Therefore, I echo the call from an Teachta Adams earlier this evening. A referendum on the eighth amendment is urgent and we should not delay. We should proceed to the referendum as soon as possible. Kicking this important issue into a citizens' assembly is nothing more than a delaying tactic, pure and simple. Women know that this is a delaying tactic. I know they know because they tell me so. They know this is a serious issue affecting women and they know that yet again it has been put on the long finger. If there is broad consensus on the need for a referendum and it can proceed without delay, then all we are lacking is the political will to move it forward.

I question the reason for the exclusion of political representatives from this assembly. Although I was not a member of the Constitutional Convention, I understand from my colleagues that those politicians involved contributed much to the work of the convention and were an asset rather than an impediment to its work. What has changed in the meantime? Why was a decision taken to exclude us? There must be and should be involvement from the very people who will respond to the outcome of this assembly. There is a role for political representatives working hand-in-hand with citizens from throughout the island. We will be missing out if we simply ignore this.

Why are we moving to this now when so many of the recommendations of the previous convention were simply abandoned? Surely the time has come and gone for a referendum on the position of women in the home. Despite the recommendation of the previous convention, we still have not had a referendum or a wider discussion on the so-called position of the woman in the home. While we are failing to grasp the opportunities presented to us by the previous Constitutional Convention in terms of the all-island dimension and the political involvement, we are rushing to hold yet another convention or assembly of sorts.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am fond of quoting my grandmother. However, I will instead quote my husband's grandfather. My husband often quotes this line. He maintains it was the best advice he was ever given - would that he heeded it, said she, looking at the unmowed lawn. He said that we should always finish what we start. The work of the previous convention is not finished, yet here we are seeking to start the process again. We have not finished what we started and we are preparing to do it all again. Government party Deputies will understand why people think this is something of a cosmetic exercise. They will understand why women feel insulted by the fact a discussion on the eighth amendment is getting kicked into another assembly when they see the inaction that arose from the last one.

Notwithstanding my reservations, if we are to have an assembly, then we need to grasp any opportunity to make it as good as it can be. Amendments have been proposed this evening. I urge Deputies to support the Sinn Féin amendments to provide for a more robust and deliberative forum and to allow for more issues to be discussed and addressed than the limited number put forward by the Government.

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