Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

In his speech, the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, gave a picture that there would a terrible political and legal vacuum if we had a referendum to repeal the eighth amendment. If it were repealed, it would be exactly the same the day after as it was the day before. The Minister seemed to be suggesting doctors would suddenly become major fans of carrying out abortions. Obviously, we would still have the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 which the Government wrote into law, criminalising women. The Dáil would have to deal with that situation and bring forward new legislation.

I was particularly horrified at the Minister's implication that the Government had dealt with the case of Savita Halappanavar, a claim of which he was proud. It did not.

See this speech in context