Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I think this is horrific and despicable. I respect what Deputy Harty said. He is a member of my group and I respect his knowledge. I too, thankfully, have a very healthy grandchild. How dare Deputy O'Connell lecture us about fairy tales or anything else. She shut me out of the committee. I brought in a video of an animated abortion. I asked the chairperson and everybody at the committee to look at it or examine it but, no, they all knew about it. I asked that women hurt by abortion be brought before the committee. They were shut out too. The committee could not get a pro-life doctor. I complimented RTÉ on a national programme it broadcast one night and it was able to get one to participate in it, no problem. The committee could not get one.

Deputy O'Connell suggested we should visit a special care unit in one of the maternity hospitals. I have five daughters and thankfully four granddaughters and we are expecting two more grandchildren, thanks be to God. My little Amy-Berry was born at 30 weeks. Her mother, Tríona had suffered from pre-eclampsia. The care she got in South Tipperary General Hospital, formerly St. Joseph's, in Cork University Hospital and from the neonatal team there was exceptional. I accept that.

It is ill-becoming of Dr. Harty to suggest we are imagining things. We have the figures from England and Canada. Is there some precious line of protection around Ireland such that this will not happen on the island of saints and scholar, that the abortion industry will not get its greedy claws in here and that this will not be done by private industry and private people? We are putting our heads in the sand if we think that. We are appealing for the most basic humane action be taken if an abortion goes wrong.

As Deputy Ó Cuív said, this practice is happening side by side with great care in hospitals in England, and it will happen side by side in our hospitals, according to the Minister, the messiah. He is going to tell them all to do it, even though he will not meet or listen the doctors or the nurses who do not want to do it and there can be no conscientious objection. It will be happening side by side in Ireland as well.

All we want is that it would be enshrined in law, as stated in the Constitution, that every child once they are born, once they breathe their breath, would be protected, as they are supposed to be, but, no, the Minister, Deputy Harris, knows better. He is better than the Constitution now all of a sudden since he went on his journey and changed his position from pro-life to being madly pro-abortion.

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