Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to make a few remarks, although I am less happy with the outcome of the referendum. We now know that more than 1.2 million voters voted "Yes" for the removal of the constitutional protection of the life of the unborn child. They voted "Yes" to a Government proposal that I still believe will be seen in the fullness of time as an historic lost opportunity to choose a better way. In many respects, it is difficult to see how the result could have gone any other way under an avalanche of misrepresentations which buried the truth. It is also certain that the vote was swung by those who engaged with what are termed "the hard cases". I understand and respect the generous way we need to deal with those hard cases and assist the families involved.

We differed on what we believed should be done. In the final week of the campaign, the Taoiseach and others suggested that those who advocated a change in the Constitution to deal with these cases were engaged in a so-called pro-life tactic. I remind him and the Minister for Health that the majority of the Citizens' Assembly also voted for that option. They are always talking about that. Indeed, 56% of those balloted at the assembly supported a vote to replace or amend Article 40.3.3°. Was that a pro-life tactic? Hardly. Of course, the vote was overwhelmingly for repeal, so here we are today.

That said, I want to talk about the 750,000 people who voted "No". Where will their voices be heard? I want to talk about the thousands of young and not so young people who devoted time, energy and compassion to protecting the life of the unborn child and its mother. We live in a society in which their voices are silenced. Are they to be? I fear there are already moves afoot to completely silence the pro-life voice. That would not only be extremely anti-democratic but it would also be a gross insult to the sincerity and reasonableness of the pro-life position. I hope we can do better than that.

I have no intention of obstructing the forthcoming Bill but I certainly have every intention of tabling amendments. I definitely did not like what happened yesterday. The Minister said he was going to be proactive and very transparent but denied me the right to attend the meeting.

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