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

On the Taoiseach's first day of Leaders' Questions, it is quite a coincidence that he is being questioned by both the previous speaker and me on the abortion legislation. Last night's programme exposed the ongoing denial of abortion rights to a significant number of women in this country six years after repeal. It was interesting that it opened with a clip of the Taoiseach in Dublin Castle on that historic day when the massive "Yes" vote was announced. He told the crowd, “Under the eighth amendment, [we said to] women in crisis ... take the boat [or take the plane], today we ... [say], take our hand." The programme then showed how women today are still being forced to take the boat or the plane. It has happened to hundreds of women since repeal.

Three brave women told their very moving, sad and tragic stories last night. I commend them for doing what they did and their courage because it has implications for the future for all women with crisis pregnancies in this country. Having been given the devastating news that their much-wanted babies will not survive, women are then told they cannot access abortion care here and will have to travel. Then, they have the tragedy of having to leave the remains of their babies behind to come back and collect them later or hide them under a blanket in the back of a car in case customs interrogate them. Women are still being treated as criminals for accessing basic reproductive healthcare. As Ms Marie O'Shea pointed out on the show and to members when she appeared before the Joint Committee on Health, doctors are being intimidated by a 14-year prison sentence hanging over them like a chill factor in case they fall outside the terms of the legislation.

The Taoiseach made his political name as Minister for Health during the repeal campaign. During the Dáil debate on the abortion legislation, he repeatedly said how important it was that the legislation be kept under review. He stated:

I am purposely seeking a review clause in the legislation as a result of looking at other jurisdictions where legislators thought all they needed to do was pass a Bill and that they had dealt with the issue forever. For us ... that would be a dereliction of our duty. It is appropriate that we return to the issue and make sure the legislation continues to be in line with best international practice. That is what a review clause will accomplish.

Yet, six years after repeal and well over a year since Ms O'Shea's report, we are still waiting for the Government to stop sitting on its hands. It is almost one year since People Before Profit had a Private Members' Bill passed in this House by a majority of Deputies, using the Marie O'Shea report to show how a Bill could be passed to abolish the three-day wait, 12-week limit and 14-year prison sentence for doctors and ensure that no one else is told to take the boat or plane ever again. However, it remains sitting in committee. TDs were given a free vote and they voted for that amendment, so it is not true to say that we are all laggards in terms of trying to make progress.

It is not good enough that the Government is sitting on its hands and refusing to allow the Bill to progress in committee. I wrote to the health committee this morning, having written many times previously, asking it, yet again, to progress the Bill through the committee. Will the Taoiseach do what his predecessor, Deputy Varadkar, did and continue to tell women with fatal foetal anomaly and with those diagnoses that they must take the boat or the plane, or will he show a bit of courage?

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