Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate that I firmly believe that life begins when a baby begins to grow inside a woman. I believe it is a crime to take a life. Let us go back to what abortion is. People should educate themselves that abortion is stopping the right of a little baby to live or continue his journey into this life from the mother's womb. I was absolutely disgusted and so upset when I heard the way that it is done, with two injections, first one to paralyse the little baby and then another to stop his heartbeat and stop his life, and not give him the chance to live. That is terrible. Life is a gift. A baby's life is a gift and a treasure. The babies that are born around the world tonight are our future. They are the world ahead of us. I believe that once a baby is conceived it has a right to live.

One morning before I was elected, all the candidates were on Kerry Radio. They asked me the question and I made it clear then and said that I was against abortion. I am against abortion and I will be. In my term as a legislator, I will not effect the killing of unborn babies, whether they be little girls or boys. I have to and will support the small unborn babies who cannot talk for themselves or ask to be let live.

Everyone around the country, inside this Chamber, and the Citizens Assembly which was not elected at all and whose membership I believe was selectively chosen, has spoken and had their input.

The little unborn babies will not be able to say a word. That is where I have a serious difficulty and nothing will ever change my mind that it is my duty, as an elected Member, to speak for them and cite their right to continue their journey into this world. I believe no one in this world has the right to take the life of another. There has been a lot of talk about babies throughout the country. Whether it is a baby who is killed, a child who has grown a bit, a mother or a father, a man living in the lonely countryside who is killed by blackguards or a 90 year old person, no one has the right to end a life or say someone has been there long enough or that he or she should not be there. I believe only God decides when a life should end and it is a good job that it is the way.

I believe girls and women should have access to support. If they become pregnant, are despairing or in bother, they should receive help. They should receive plenty of counselling and financial support and whatever else and if they cannot manage, there are plenty of couples who would gladly adopt and cherish a little baby boy or girl if they were given the chance to do so. There is a great deal more available to women today than there was 50 years ago when girls were frowned upon when they became pregnant out of wedlock, but that is not the story today. There is contraception and so much education available, rightly so. I believe there is fierce respect for women and girls who become pregnant, which is wonderful. It is a gift, a life. I appreciate life and will do so while there is a breath left in my body. I sincerely believe little unborn babies have the right to continue their journey into life.

I believe the eighth amendment has served the country and its people well for over 30 years. Many decent people throughout the country are saying they will not vote in favour of abortion and the trouble is what the wording will be. We were told in recent days, even by the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, that the Cabinet would decide the wording. Will any other elected Deputy have a say in selecting the wording or what it will be? If that is the way it will be, when I see Ministers and high profile Members absolutely in favour of repealing the eighth amendment and especially if it is to be left to the Cabinet to decide, we will not have a fair wording put to the people.

The Citizens' Assembly had so much to say, but they were not elected by anyone. I am told that there was no representative from 11 counties. How could that be fair? How could the people concerned decide on behalf of rest of the country? That is what I see wrong. I repeat that many throughout the country oppose the removal of the eighth amendment and the question is: what will the wording be? That will be very important. We are not being told what will replace the eighth amendment. It is just being said we should get rid of it. There will be nothing put in its place, but the people are not fools. Many have real concerns about the protection of life and are saying, whether it is a little baby boy or a little baby girl, that he or she has as much right to be in this world, to make his or her journey into the world and be protected in this country and the world outside it. They are so entitled. I repeat that I really mean it when I say it is only God decides when we are to leave this world and that is the way it should be.

I could make other comparisons, but I will not. I will keep it strictly to what many people are saying. They are calling for the protection of a little baby's life before he or she is born, once he or she has a heartbeat. It is not right to think someone will come along and inject a little baby's heart to stop it beating and end his or her life. It is not right now; it was not right then and it will never be right.

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