Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Supreme Court has spoken and its decision is unanimous. Its judgment clears the way to advance the referendum on the repeal of the eighth amendment to the Constitution. I understand the Taoiseach had a correct concern for legal clarity before advancing the legislation and that, correctly, he did not wish to pre-empt or even create an impression of interfering or seeking to interfere with the decisions of the courts. Now, however, matters have been clarified and there is no reason or basis for further delay.

As the Taoiseach knows, the eighth amendment represents a real and ongoing threat to the health and lives of Irish women. Our recent history is marked with so many tragic episodes of that hard reality. The eighth amendment has cast a shadow on medical practice. It places the threat of criminal sanction against doctors for making medical decisions in the best interest of their patients. It has to go. The eighth amendment is a relic of an Ireland of the past, yet it restricts the rights of women in the here and now and profoundly affects our welfare. It should not have been introduced into the Constitution in the first place.

The first piece of the puzzle facing us is the publication of the referendum Bill. Now that we have legal clarity and given the unanimity of the Supreme Court decision, I put it to the Taoiseach that the Cabinet needs to meet the Attorney General on this matter today and the legislation for the referendum ought to be published today. When the Business Committee meets today, it should schedule a debate immediately, starting tomorrow. We should have a full day's sitting on Friday to advance this legislation because time is not on our side.

We all appreciate that we need to create a better Ireland for our sisters, daughters and women. This is an opportunity to ensure that we never again allow women to be faced with the injustice and degradation that generations have gone through. Of course, the referendum is about the whole of Irish society coming together and saying women are entitled to their fundamental right to health care. We have an historic responsibility to establish this right. Respect and compassion for women must prevail. It is time to trust women. It is time to allow doctors to do their job, and it is time for us, as legislators, to do ours.

We have an important responsibility to pass the legislation on the referendum in a timely fashion. Will the Cabinet meet today to discuss the judgment and receive the advice of the Attorney General? Can the referendum Bill be published today? Can we commence the debate tomorrow and have a full day's sitting on Friday?

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