Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am very disappointed with the Minister's reply to our amendment and our request to have pain relief ensured for a little infant and for the little infant's last seconds in the world. He gave us an answer that it is up to the medical profession; that is not acceptable.

It is not unreasonable for us to table this amendment because we did not have abortions in this country up to now. It is not just a few of us in this House who are asking for this; many more people outside in our constituencies are really concerned about this since it was raised in the Oireachtas committee a number of weeks ago. It is not too much to ask for an assurance from the Minister that pain relief would be given to these little infants. We are very sorry and disappointed that he is not acceding to this. We will be putting it to a vote because it is the last thing we can do given that the Minister is not agreeable. We will be doing that to ensure that we have tried our best on behalf of those little infants we are talking about.

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