Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to put on record Sinn Féin's position with regard to terminations on the grounds of disability. Sinn Féin is opposed to terminations on the grounds of disability. As a party we debated the matter at our Ard-Fheis. More than that, as political activists, we campaign day in and day out for the rights of persons with disability. In our advice clinics at council level and at Dáil level every day of the week we deal with cases involving parents who have children with disabilities.

For our party the issue is a settled matter. We abstained in Committee because we wanted to be certain that this legislation does not provide for terminations on the grounds of disability. We abstained to give ourselves time to consider it and engage with the Minister. We have engaged with the Minister and on the basis of the assurances we have been given which accord with our party policy, we will not be supporting this amendment.

We stand up for the rights of persons with disabilities. We stand up for their families. We stand with them in our communities through our activism. We are very clear on that. We gave ourselves the time and we engaged with the Minister. I thank him for his engagement and for his assurance that this legislation does not provide for terminations on the grounds of disability. It does not and therefore we will be opposing the amendment. However, we do so because the legislation is very clear as is our position. We stand with people who have disabilities. We stand with their families and we will continue to do so.

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