Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Earlier, many of us gathered outside Leinster House to mark the fifth anniversary of the repeal of the eighth amendment. It is an important date to mark for many reasons, for instance, to celebrate that achievement of women getting their rights but also to highlight the shortcomings with the current legislation. We now know that we have an independent medical review of the current legislation. That is information we did not have when we made this legislation. There are some clear asks in that.

Something I remember from canvassing for repeal in Cork South-West is many people voted for women who needed terminations for medical reasons not to be forced to travel anymore, and unfortunately they still are. There is massive concern that this is being delayed. It is being kicked into the Joint Committee on Health. Will the Taoiseach please reassure us that action will be taken as soon as possible so that fewer women are forced to do this? Will the Taoiseach guarantee us that it will not be based on maybe his or other members of Cabinet's feelings of discomfort or reluctance but based on an independent medical review of a healthcare provision?

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