Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I hope the Minister will answer this on his second chance. I know it is coming back to a committee and to the Oireachtas. My question was if members of Fine Gael will implement these findings or if will they ignore them. When they get onto the committee, will they seek to respect the deliberations of the Citizens' Assembly, or will they seek to water them down?

The Minister and many other parties in the Dáil have not recognised that it is no longer business as usual for church-State relations in this country. That is the reality. We have the recent census figures which show there was a 75% increase in the numbers of people declaring no religion.

On Sunday there will be march at 2 p.m. from the Garden of Remembrance, organised by Parents for Choice, to demand that the National Maternity Hospital is taken away from religious control and that church and State are actually separated in this country. I say to all those young people and women who have demanded repeal and change for a number of years that if this issue is not dealt with by the Dáil in the appropriate manner then the fifth anniversary of the death of Savita Halappanavar should be the occasion for the biggest ever pro-choice march in history in this country. People should not allow political parties to be behind the curve, as they all currently are on this issue. I would appeal to young people in particular in that regard.

I would appreciate if the Minister could answer whether Fine Gael will go into the committee respecting the Citizen's Assembly findings or not.

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