Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get the chance to talk on this very important Bill. I am totally and absolutely against what is proposed. I do not think it is necessary in the first place. We do not have these kinds of demonstrations, that I know of, on my side of the country, in our county. In a lot of places we have practising GPs whom people go to daily. People cannot get to their GPs. How will these zones be marked for people who do not know where those GPs are? Someone could be within such an exclusion zone unwittingly. Are we going to mark these places or what? This is shocking and not needed.

I am frightened when I read these figures. Back in 2018, there were 4,577 abortions. In 2020, there were 6,577. In 2019, there were 6,666. Last year, in 2022, we had 8,156 - 8,156 little babies. They all had a heartbeat, and that is what is sad about the whole thing. These little babies have a right to life, and all they wanted to do is to be let live. I am sorry there is not more emphasis on education given to young girls first of all on the availability of contraceptives and on being careful. Education at secondary schools is very important. We should place our emphasis on that. Consider what the 8,156 little babies could contribute to our country in the years ahead. That is what is sad about all this, that we are not making a better effort to ensure these little babies get the chance to live. I am lucky enough to have six grandchildren. I had one recently, a little girl. Isla Healy-Rae is her name. I am very proud of her and look forward to seeing her grow up like the other grandchildren I have. They are very important.

The Minister wants to write his name into history. There is no need for this. Look at what he is not doing for home help. Look at what he is not doing by way of providing GPs. Look at the waiting lists in our hospitals and our nursing homes. Then there is the CAMHS debacle that so many vulnerable people suffered in south Kerry. The Minister says it did not manifest in any other area. That is a lie. The Minister came in here with some story two or three weeks ago. There are people affected in other areas. He need not put down his head at all because I am telling him the truth. What he told was blatant lies.

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