Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There are two parts to this. First, I would like to thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for trying to be fair to me. This is unprecedented. I have been hanging around this place for 13 years and I have never seen this before. Deputy Brendan Howlin, who is one of the longest-serving Members and who served as Leas-Cheann Comhairle for five years, has never seen this before. I tabled an amendment intended to help the women represented by the 221+ Patient Support Group who have been affected by cervical cancer. It aims to ensure that if their cancer returns they will be able to apply for compensation again. That amendment was accepted on Committee Stage and I spoke to it. It has now been ruled out of order on Report Stage, which is unprecedented. I ask the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to look into how this happened.

I appeal to everyone to please listen to this. I was effectively told by officials today that if I did not speak on this amendment on Committee Stage, I would be unable to move it on Report Stage. That is nuts. This Parliament has failed. It is bananas. It is crazy. Let us think about it logically. I put down an amendment, which was accepted. I spoke on it, and according to the letter that has been given to me, the amendment has now been ruled out of order because I spoke on it. I have spoken to Deputies Willie Penrose and Brendan Howlin, who have more than 50 years of experience here - longer than I have. They have never seen this before. It must never be seen again. We are dealing with one of the most sensitive issues this Dáil has had to face in its lifetime. This issue is affecting those women. I put down the amendment to help them. I must acknowledge that it is very similar, if not, identical to an amendment put down by Deputy Bríd Smith, which was also ruled out of order. Due to the fact that we spoke on the amendment, it has now been ruled out. It is ludicrous.

Moving on to the amendment, I need the Minister for Health to listen to what I am about to say. I cannot call a vote on amendment No. 8 now because it is out of order. As such, after speaking to the women representing the 221+ Patient Support Group, I will ask Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, all the other parties and Independents to vote with me against this section.

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