Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

One of the reasons put forward for replacing Article 41.2 of the Constitution is that it offers very little by way of concrete legal protection to women, as evidenced by the lack of reported cases where it was cited. I have learned, however, that cases have been taken against the State and that those cases were settled with confidentiality clauses in place in order to prevent them becoming a precedent. I do not know how many cases there were. There may have been very few or there may have been many. I do not know; that is within the Government's means of knowledge. In order to make sure we have accuracy during the debate on this matter, will the Taoiseach ask the Attorney General's office and the Department of Social Protection, which, I believe, was involved in some instances, how many such cases exist? That might inform how strong or weak the legal protection is.

See this speech in context