Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Again the Minister rejects one of our amendments. It is disappointing that he would reject an amendment that seeks to protect an infant born alive after an abortion. That is astonishing to say the least but it is along the same lines on which he has been travelling with omissions from this Bill to protect a baby in what is an unlikely situation, albeit one that does happen and there is proof out there.

As Deputy O'Keeffe said, what we are trying to put forward in this amendment is the same as what is in our Constitution and I fully agree with him. The Minister says that this is not what we do in our hospitals but we do not perform abortions in our hospitals yet so how do we know what will happen? There are some excellent hospitals which have brought infants into the world who have fought bravely. I have been there myself and the aftercare for children in this country is astonishingly brilliant. It is probably second to none to date, but going forward with a Bill that does not cover all aspects and leaves things wide open in our hospitals, we are now travelling on a different road because we have no protection in this Bill for infants born alive after an abortion.

My colleague Deputy Harty said that after 20, 21 or 22 weeks, it is very unlikely that a baby would be viable. There are situations where this happens and it might be very unlikely but if we can save one child in this country with this amendment, I would be very proud that it was brought forward and we have to make sure that such a protection is there.

Deputy O'Connell has left and she was going on about our fairy stories. Of course she does not want to hear the other side because she has her mind made up. I listened to the other side but she obviously did not, judging by her comments. We did meet the woman who was left to die and we discussed that and it is not fair for Deputy O'Connell to say that unless she spoke to that woman herself and was not in the same mood as ourselves. She also stated that it looks like we have not visited the special care unit but I have been there and we have all been there down through the years.

I have great respect for Deputy Harty and I find him to be a very decent man. I want to believe that if a child survives an abortion, the doctors will do everything they can to save the child. However, as I said earlier to the Minister, who is not in the Chamber at present, we want to give doctors clarity and certainty - that is all we want to do - to ensure they know what will happen. As one of my colleagues on the opposite side of the House said earlier, who would ever think that 66 babies born alive in the United Kingdom were left unaided to die after failed abortions. I would never think that would happen in the UK. Also, officials figures show that over a ten year period in Canada, starting in 2000, 491 babies who survived abortions were abandoned by medical staff and left to die alone in the corner of a hospital. I would not want to see that happen in this country, but it happens in the UK, in Wales and in Canada. In terms of trying to save one life, I ask the Minister to provide clarity on this matter. I cannot understand why he will not consider accepting any of the amendments. This is a simple request. As I said from day one, this is one of the safest countries in the world in which to have a child. I have three children-----

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