Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The outcome of the referendum has been as clear and decisive as it could possibly have been. There is no doubt about what we must do. With an overwhelming majority, the people have given the Oireachtas the right and the duty to legislate quickly for a new approach, founded on the core principle of trusting women and their doctors.

It is an historic change but not one which came about easily. It is a revolutionary moment fundamentally based on the tireless, passionate and loud advocacy of active citizens. This change could not have come about without the incredible bravery and dignity of women who came forward, both publicly and on a more personal level, to tell their stories about the cruel inflexibility of a system which had both judged them and denied them care. I personally thank the women and men in many settings and all parts of the country who spoke to me about their experience of life under the eighth amendment. From all ages and backgrounds, they were driven by a determination that what had happened to them should not be allowed to keep happening to others.

The best part of the campaign was how the cause for change was led by the largest and most diverse civil society campaign ever assembled in the country. Led by women and committed to keeping the voices of women central to the debate, the Together for Yes campaign, as well as the umbrella organisations which operated before the campaign, provided an immense service for our democracy. I also acknowledge the tireless work of groups of doctors and nurses to ensure we had a fact-based debate capable of overcoming efforts to distort and manipulate public opinion.

A key to the success of the referendum was a proposal which respected the evidence of what changes were required to address the clear failures of the eighth amendment. The Citizens' Assembly had pointed in a general direction but proved that it was possible to ensure a well structured debate could allow people the space to question themselves and reach challenging conclusions. It was the proposal of the joint Oireachtas committee which went before the people. It showed just how much could be achieved when we worked together to try to find a consensus. The chair of the committee, Senator Catherine Noone, carried out her role in an exemplary manner and was 100% correct in emphasising expertise over advocacy. The tone of debate central to this being possible emerged from the debate on Deputy Clare Daly's Bill which directly began the process which led to the referendum.

The proposal that there be a 12-week period was, for many, a risky decision. However, there was no other way of dealing with the reality of how to end an inflexible and judgmental system. It reflected both medical reality and the basic need to trust in the decisions of women. The fact that the 12-weeks provision gained in support the more it was debated, as well as surviving an aggressive attempt to paint it as going too far, means that we now have real clarity on the principles the people wish to guide our legislation. On a personal level, I acknowledge Deputies Billy Kelleher and Lisa Chambers and Senator Ned O'Sullivan who proposed the 12-weeks provision at the committee. Given the urgency to end the current law, the clarity of both the result and the promised legislation, together with the all-party work which shaped the legislation, full and rapid enactment is our basic duty. We will facilitate this in any way possible, including by having extra sittings.

We also face a new challenge about how we discuss abortion in the new reality where the law is based on trust of women and medical professionals, rather than a constitutional prohibition. There is no democratic country in the world where there is no ongoing debate about abortion. Ireland will be no different. People with strong conscientiously held beliefs must be able to speak. Our democracy will be undermined if we deny their rights. However, we must act to make sure the extreme tactics, seen particularly in America, have no place in Ireland. Many of us have at different times been confronted by the extreme behaviour of a small minority. They employ shock tactics and aggression to make their point. This repelled parents during the campaign when they were forced to explain graphic images and extreme claims erected on posters outside hospitals, schools and many other places. We must from the first moment protect women and medical professionals against the extreme radicalism seen elsewhere that tries to block the operation of democratically agreed policies.

We also have to learn from the campaign to protect our democracy. The Government's complacency about the abuse of online advertising was cruelly exposed. The weakness of key elements of how we oversee referendums and elections is there for all to see. We must act now and not wait until we see here the abuses unfortunately common in other countries.

The people have had their say. They looked at the evidence, engaged in a long debate and reached an absolutely clear decision. They want change. They want laws which end the inhuman inflexibility which was embodied in the eighth amendment. They want us to trust the decisions of women and the medical professionals on whom they rely for care. We have had a campaign dominated by the voices of women and stories which have challenged all of us to listen. It is now up to us to act by rapidly and comprehensively implementing the people's decision.

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