Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief but I did not want to let amendment No. 37 pass without speaking on it. It is a very reasonable request that the Minister should consider pain relief in this case, given that we are referring to babies over 20 weeks. When one considers that a baby is viable at 22 weeks it is imperative that the baby is given pain relief. There is no point in having the baby suffer needlessly. I am sure it would also be of great benefit and cause less stress for the mother. Even if he does not think about the baby in this case the Minister should definitely consider the mother and, hopefully, a reduction in the stress that she might be experiencing at that stage. I ask that the Minister shows compassion with regard to this amendment. It is a reasonable amendment and while the Minister has not accepted too many, perhaps this is one that should be accepted by every Member of the House.

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