Results 24,141-24,160 of 46,208 for speaker:Simon Harris
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: I do not question anyone's bona fides in relation to this. As Deputy Burton has said, everybody wants what is best for their children. I am sure everybody shares that view. I am sure we all share the view that everybody wants to make sure children are protected. There is a big and broad debate about the issue of consent across society. It covers a number of areas, including the sexual...
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: Indeed. Section 23 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 refers specifically to the issue of consent.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: My apologies. We have more than the 1997 Act. We have the Children First guidelines and the HSE policy on consent. Deputy Harty outlined in the most articulate and eloquent way the reality of how consent works. This is the norm in the health service. In cases involving people under the age of 16, parents are involved unless there are exceptional circumstances. This is not a mystery for...
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: I read out-----
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: It does exist.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: It is already there.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: It is irrelevant.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: I cannot control my head movements.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: I do not intend to speak on this for long because we spoke on it at great length at the committee and on many other occasions. Members need to be careful with the use of language. I heard the reference to abortion as a women taking the easy option. That is grossly offensive, regardless of anybody's view on the issue. It is never easy. No women gets up and says, "God, I would love to have...
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: I accept that is also a difference. The issue of consent is addressed in section 23 which clearly sets out that the provisions of the Bill will operate within existing legal provisions. It has been repeatedly stated by some Members that consent does not exist on the Statute Book, but that is factually incorrect. The Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 deals with the issue of...
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: No.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: We have not.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: That is not the case.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: That is grossly unfair.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: It was.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: That is not true either.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: I did not say that. The Deputy should withdraw that.
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: There are quite a few amendments in this grouping. I want to try to deal with a number of issues. I noted the comments that were made yesterday by Dr. Peter Boylan, who is a former chairman of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and a former master of the National Maternity Hospital. Along with the HSE, I appointed Dr. Boylan to lead the roll-out of these services. As Dr....
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: I note that many of the doctors who are now leading the charge on some of the issues referenced by Deputy Tóibín were among those who led the No campaign, and that is fine. It is not a criticism; it is just a fact. They do not want abortion in this country because they do not support it. That is their right as citizens. I will defend forever the right of a doctor or healthcare...
- Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2018)
Simon Harris: I do not think there is anybody in this House who disagrees with that. Are we going to continue to talk about conscientious objection as if we had a referendum on doctors? We had a referendum on women and on women's healthcare. Maybe we should actually think about the woman. Are we going to have a situation in which a woman who has been raped turns up at her doctor's surgery and is shown...