Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 46 would mean that women would be entitled to access all possible information before deciding to end a pregnancy. Seeking to provide for the provision of additional information during a three-day waiting period is not an attempt to shame or pressurise women into not having an abortion, as many supporters of the Bill have claimed. It is simply a measure that might have a small impact in minimising the abortion rate, which surely should be the aim of the legislation. During the referendum campaign the Tánaiste spoke in favour of having measures to provide such information for women. Even now, these completely innocuous proposals are under attack. Surely it is a policy aim of the Government to ensure the number of abortions is kept to a minimum and that as many healthy babies as possible are delivered, but in listening to the Minister on Committee Stage and again on Report Stage in the House and the contributions of some other Deputies, one would almost believe the opposite was the case.

There is nothing in the legislation which seeks to provide alternatives to abortion in the form of additional counselling or financial support, among other things. It is incredible that, after five years of discussion of the issue, countless hours of committee hearings, Oireachtas debates and a constitutional convention, there has been virtually no discussion of such measures. This is the second time in the last hour I have asked the Minister to let the House know what supports will be provided. I asked him this question during the discussions on the previous amendment and I am asking him again now.

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