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

I am glad to get the opportunity to contribute on this most important debate. I am firmly pro-life. I am glad that I was born and am able to see this life. I am sad that that is not the case for so many little babies who have been conceived but will not see the light of day. All they are asking, I am sure, is that they be allowed to live and come into this world. They are being denied that chance or right.

I am very sad that we are even talking about this matter at all because I love children. I have grandchildren and I love each and every one of them. I love my own children. I know that women can find themselves in a predicament, but there are plenty of ways to help them now, beginning with education. There are many avenues open to them. If they cannot see a way out, there are adoption services. There are people out there who would love to have a child but have not been able to do so. They would love to adopt children and take care of them. Doing so would mean much to them.

It is sad that this is happening and that this Bill with its exclusion zones will compound what was introduced three or four years ago. The need for the three-day period for women to think about it has been stopped. When deciding about life or death, three days is not an awful lot to ask them to wait. In any one day, I could change my mind 50 times about one very important thing. The little baby that is waiting to come into the world should at least get that chance. It is such a small thing to ask for.

Our little group asked for something else and put it to a vote in the Dáil, that being, to allow some form of pain relief. We know that in the abortion process, the babies suffer great pain. However, that was denied these little human beings, who only wanted to come into the world and did nothing wrong.

The mother has rights, but every one of us must remember that the little baby has rights after being conceived.

There are so many protections now. We need to educate young girls and advise them of all the protections and avenues open to them in order that they will not get pregnant in the first place.

With regard to exclusion zones and depriving people of the right to protest or make their case, I have not heard of protests outside any hospitals. I would not be for it, but I do not believe there is a need for exclusion zones because we do not know who is going in and out. We do not actually know where the abortion clinics are. You could find yourself outside one and not be aware that you should not be there in the first place. Who has a map or diagram showing where the abortion clinics are? I do not have one. There is no need for the exclusion zones. I ask the Minister to reconsider and not to go ahead with this Bill because there is no need in the world for it.

With regard to making a hospital like Fort Knox such that a person should not or may not go there, someone who is pro-life could be challenged for being in the hospital with somebody who is sick, or you could be sick yourself and find yourself challenged. That is not right or fair.

See this speech in context