Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, I am particularly pleased to speak in this debate. For me, the referendum was not about winning or losing, although that is the obvious outcome of such referendums. It was more about an acknowledgement of how informed debate could change society, how the expert - I stress the word "expert" - evidence given to the Citizens' Assembly and then the Oireachtas joint committee changed people's perceptions and minds. It also showed what politicians could achieve when they left their bias outside the door of a committee room and agree to do what was best for the women of Ireland, no matter how much it might conflict with a perviously stated position. We in this House have to learn a valuable lesson from the referendum. The lesson is not to dismiss every suggestion because of some intrinsic bias. The lesson is that we should listen more and speak less. The lesson is that we should gather and analyse the evidence and respond accordingly. That is exactly what occurred in this case and look at what has happened.

While I thank my colleagues on the committee, they will excuse me if I reserve the vast majority of my thanks and praise for citizens. They are the people, men but mostly women, who have worked for this result for decades. I praise those who showed huge bravery by telling their own personal and very intimate stories, stories that resonated with people up and down the country, that were communicated to people as they canvassed from house to house, that people remembered and translated into a "Yes" vote in the ballot box. I also thank the Together for Yes campaign that did Trojan work on the ground. Its members were so well informed and such an impressive group who worked tirelessly in the campaign.

As a Deputy for Galway West which includes south Mayo, I have to mention Savita Halappanavar. No matter how people try to spin it, the expert evidence is that the eighth amendment was most definitely a contributory factor in her death. Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran who conducted the case review gave clear and concise evidence to the committee in that regard. I acknowledge Savita today and also thank her family for their dignified contributions to the referendum debate. I acknowledge the clear leadership given by the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris. While I am not holding up a sign declaring my undying love, I think all sides of the House will agree that he deserves great praise for the understanding and compassion he showed for women in crisis pregnancies.

I also thank the former Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, who originally agreed to set up the Citizens' Assembly which was invaluable in the process and Deputy Leo Varadkar who, since he became Taoiseach, has at all times supported the referendum being put to the people.

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