Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabh mo leithscéal a Theachta. Tá cúpla nóiméad fágtha agam chun críoch a chur leis an méid atá le rá agam. As I mentioned earlier, tá an reachtaíocht seo á gníomhú de réir na méide a dúirt 1,429,981 duine. Tá sé sin beagnach dúbail ar an méid a bhí i gcoinne an mholta a cuireadh os comhair an phobail. Ní raibh móramh chomh mór leis sin riamh go bhfios dom, seachas b'fhéidir an reifreann faoi Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta. Dar ndóigh bhí móramh níos mó ann don reifreann sin. Luaigh mé cheana go bhfuil athruithe ag teastáil chun an reachtaíocht seo a dhéanamh níos fearr.

All legislation needs to be tinkered with to tighten it up and perfect it, which is the reason we have Committee Stage. That is also the reason we went through the equivalent of a pre-legislative stage in the debates we have had.

The people have spoken. We will work with everyone in this House and in the Upper House to ensure the legislation and what it provides for is available as early as possible so that we no longer export our problem to England or elsewhere and that we are not importing another problem which astounded many of us, namely, the importation of abortion pills. It is time that we address the issue once and for all in the open way society has demanded for many years.

Tá mise sásta go bhfuilimid ag bogadh sa treo ceart agus go bhfuil an reachtaíocht seo ann. Tá i bhfad níos mó ag teastáil le bheith déanta maidir le sláinte ban ach go háirithe ins an tír seo mar níl go leor déanta agus cuireann an reachtaíocht seo níos mó brú ar an gcóras sláinte. Tá mé ag impí ar na hAirí agus ar an Rialtas a dhéanamh cinnte de nach mbeidh aon mhoill air seo toisc na fadhbanna sa chóras sláinte ach ag an am céanna chun déanamh cinnte de go bhfuilimid chun déileáil leis na scuainní feithimh atá sna hospidéil agus na scuainní feithimh atá ag fanacht ar obráidí chomh maith céanna.

I appeal to the Minister to ensure the legislation does not add a burden on the healthcare system and that sufficient finances and resources are provided to ensure that the legislation can take full effect immediately and that the other healthcare issues are also addressed so that nobody can accuse us or the Government of diverting funds away from the health service, which is creaking at the seams. This issue can be addressed within the current health framework if the proper resources are provided. That is a conundrum we have all tried to address.

Tá mo chuid ráite agam agus tá mé sásta críochnú ag an stad seo.

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