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

Kate will turn 27 in October. Her mammy says she is a good girl. She is still a girl at 27. She is on her honeymoon but she will be home to vote. She is going to vote "Yes".

There is a fundamental question for all of us as citizens, but particularly for all of us as legislators, on this matter. It boils down to this: are we prepared to look the other way as Kate and hundreds and thousands of other women take abortion pills in circumstances that we know are unsafe?

Are we prepared to do that as the legislators for this jurisdiction and as people who have responsibility to shape thoughtful, responsive, inclusive public policy? I am not. I am not prepared to look the other way. Elaine, Kate's mother, is not prepared to look the other way. That is the challenge for people as they, in good conscience, arrive at their decision on Friday. Do we look the other way? Do we create this jeopardy, this threat, to the health and potentially to the lives of our women and girls?

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