Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I want to make it very clear that I have come in from home to be here because I am very disturbed by this. I believe I speak on behalf of tens of thousands of men and women throughout this country. There is an attempt here to drag out the debate so we can then drag out the presentation of legislation before the House so that we can drag out the inevitability of a referendum on the eighth amendment. At the beginning of this process, we made it very clear. We stood up twice to object to the 20 minute speeches that were being allowed for every Deputy in the House. We indicated we thought this might happen in an attempt to drag it out, filibuster and obfuscate and to pull it way down the road. That is clearly what is happening. I back up the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, and his right to end the debate now. This should die a natural death and not be put on a respiratory machine. Normally that is what would happen. The norm is being taken away from this reality. The only case in which this would be allowed is in a case of this magnitude. I put on record our absolute objection to the procedures that are being dragged out here. When the Business Committee meets next week, I have no doubt this will be a very contentious issue. I back up the Minister of State in his attempt to give a concluding speech. He should be allowed to do so and that should be the end of the matter. We have had 80 speakers in 17 hours, and it does not do anybody in this country any justice to drag this out any further. We need to move on so that the young people of this country, in particular, get to have a vote on this on 25 May. If we do not move on, we will deny that cohort a right to have a say over something that affects their future - not the Acting Chairman's, with all due respect, and certainly not mine, but theirs. We have to keep that in mind when we make these decisions.

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