Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is a genuine concern among some Members present that terminations may be carried out on grounds of disability. I have that genuine concern. No Bill is ever perfect in its infancy. We all know that. There is no doubt that unintended consequences arise. I am looking today to the Minister for a clear commitment that any unborn foetus or baby will not be targeted for abortion because it has a disability when the law changes. While the committee spent a great deal of time discussing this particular angle, it was all blown out of the water during the campaign when the Master of the Rotunda stated that a test existed which could determine at nine weeks whether some disability was there. I was happy to go along with the notion that one could not determine a disability up to 12 weeks, but it was blown out of the water when we were told about that test. It is a private test for which one must pay approximately €1,000. However, it is there if one can afford to have it and it can determine prior to 12 weeks whether a disability is present. These are genuine concerns and we would appreciate the Minister addressing them and providing a clear commitment. That is what I am looking for today.

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