Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt that this is a defining moment in our country. The eighth amendment has had a hugely positive, humane and life-saving impact on Ireland. The debate on abortion is exclusively focused on removing the right to life of unborn babies while continuing to ignore all the amazing stories of the thousands of lives saved by the eighth amendment. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has said that pro-life advocates are cold, uncaring and neglectful for fighting to protect unborn babies' right to life in the Constitution. Voters need to understand that Ireland could become one of the most extreme pro-abortion countries in the world if the eighth amendment is overturned. One undeniable lesson from the Oireachtas committee is that once a society accepts that one unborn baby's life is undeserving of legal protection, it effectively means that no unborn baby's life has any value. No matter how it is dressed up, repeal will mean that for the first time in history a modern society would be removing a basic human rights protection from its constitution. What will be decided in the coming months will have huge implications for our society for a long time into the future. Thousands of people will be personally affected in their lives, welfare and happiness by what is decided. It is a tragedy that any woman has to go abroad for abortion. It is even more tragic when they go for abortion without getting the practical gesture of friendship or support that might lead them to make a different decision. It is wrong that the joint Oireachtas committee and now the Government have failed to acknowledge the obvious, which is that thousands of lives appear to have been saved by the eighth amendment. Britain allows abortion and one in five pregnancies there results in abortion. In Ireland, which does not allow abortion, one in 19 pregnancies ends in abortion. What are the reasons for this difference if not the difference in our laws? In 1983, the Irish people voted to recognise the rights of unborn babies and their mothers. It was a resounding victory for human rights. Should we now ask them to exclude some members of society from the enjoyment of that human right. There is another problem with asking people to repeal the eighth amendment. The political class is asking us to trust it and give it complete power to decide how much abortion will be in the country. As a political class, can we be completely trusted on this issue? I do not think so. Everybody in the House has the right to be here. They have been put here by the people. They have the right to express their concerns and views. I respect their views and I expect everybody else to respect mine. I feel that certain aspects of the amendment referendum debate has thus far been neglected by politicians and the media.

No informed vote can be taken without advance knowledge of the legal consequences of the approval of the proposed change. Clarity, from the Government and all who campaign for approval, is the essential factor.

I am pro-life because it is evident to me that an unborn child is a human life and one should be as careful as possible to protect that life. I accept that some of the electorate favour some changes to the current position but I believe that the recommendation for unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks does not reflect public opinion. If Article 43.3.3° is repealed it is inevitable that legislators in the future will not stop at the 12 week threshold but will extend it. In a recent a Supreme Court ruling, seven judges unanimously decided that the only right the unborn baby had was the right to life. It is ironic that we are debating taking away this right to life today.

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