Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I want to speak to amendment No. 32 in my name. It is very similar to amendment No. 33. The Minister should listen to the previous speakers. I agree wholeheartedly with what they have said. The three-day period was in the heads of the Bill, we have to accept that. How it got in there we can possibly debate another time. It is a barrier for all the reasons that have been stated. If we have to stick to the three-day period, my amendment proposes that we consider the period in which the woman makes the arrangements to attend the medical practitioner, when the clock begins to tick.

I know it was in the heads of the Bill and the public voted on it. I am not of the opinion that, while it was in the heads of the Bill and the discourse at the time, it was in people's minds that there was an absolute doctrinal three days. It would be within the spirit of what was proposed if my amendment or, indeed, amendment No. 33 – I am not hung up on which amendment is passed – was accepted. It does not change anything that the legislation and heads of the Bill proposed.

There are many practical reasons the Minister should accept one of these amendments. Many women find themselves in vulnerable situations, where they may, within a fairly defined period, have to create a circumstance where they can start the clock ticking by making arrangements for this procedure. There is a range of reasons they might find themselves in that situation. I have met many of the doctors' groups which are in favour of this legislation but in certain parts of rural Ireland, there will be geographical problems with provision of service from day one, for many reasons which I will not go into here. It is going to be quite difficult for some women, some young girls and some people in vulnerable situations to adhere to this requirement. That is why it is necessary, if we are going to stick to this three-day period - I believe is a barrier but it is there and was in the heads of the Bill - that we at least accept one of these amendments to ensure the clock can start from the time they make their arrangements with the relevant doctor. We will be treating young girls and vulnerable women in many different circumstances very badly if we do not do that.

This does not transgress what we put to the public in the heads of the Bill. It very much fits within the demarcations on which this was put to the public and on which it voted. The Minister should be comfortable accepting this sort of amendment.

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