Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Citizen's Assembly has made vital contributions to this debate, and I look forward to the details of it. I have not seen the details of it, and I do not believe any Deputy has. Deputy Coppinger herself, as an advocate of repeal, wants to see the Legislature having responsibilities in this area. The duty of every Member of this Legislature, from whatever party they come from, is to consider this issue on its merits and to make decisions here as a collective group elected by the people to decide on these issues and put whatever recommendations we decide on, if that is the judgment of the Dáil. The Legislature has to do its work. While we welcome the view of Citizen's Assembly, it is an input into our work. It has been recognised that we now need an Oireachtas committee, which will be composed of both Senators and Members of the Dáil, to tease through the issues and come back to the Dáil with recommendations so that we, as a collective group, can do the job we were elected to do.

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