Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I will comment on the waiver since it has already been mentioned. Could the Minister clarify whether there will be a reciprocal requirement on the laboratories to make some gesture? I know it cannot be a waiver but it could be some commitment that they sign on the dotted line that once they engage in the process, they will not pull out because that could happen.

It could conceivably happen that a woman signs a waiver and engages in the process. While a laboratory could engage in the process too, it could then decide it is too hot and pull out. We do not want to see that happen. The Minister has not answered that and I do not see it fitted into the Bill in any concrete way.

On the proceedings in general, I was not even allowed say the word “four” this morning because an amendment of mine, which was amendment No. 4, had been ruled out of order. I was constantly shouted down by the Acting Chairman that I could not speak to it because it was ruled out of order. We end up then dealing with other amendments which are ruled out of order. I am all in favour of that. However, my particular amendment did not have a necessary cost to the State because it would have allowed the chairperson of the tribunal to make the decision. There was no automatic cost to the State, yet it was ruled out of order. I wanted to say that about it, seeing as how I was totally censored this morning.

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