Results 3,301-3,320 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I accept the Minister may not have that answer to hand. With due respect, he does not. If he has, I ask him to repeat it, but I certainly did not pick up on it. What he did say was that if they act outside the Act they are unlawful. This deals with a situation where the life is ended. Where a life is not ended but the baby is seriously injured and disabled, what is the position? In...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I move amendment No. 16: In page 8, to delete line 34, and in page 9, to delete lines 1 and 2 and substitute the following:"(ii) in their reasonable opinion (being an opinion formed on reasonable grounds and in good faith which has regard to the right to life of the unborn), that risk can only be averted by carrying out the medical procedure,".This is an important amendment. It proposes the...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I listened to what the Minister, Deputy Reilly has to say with regard to the wording of the amendment. I am still not persuaded by the explanation he has given. I acknowledge that he has gone to check some of the points that were made here,-----

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: -----which is useful. I am surprised that these issues were not anticipated and that he had to go outside his Department to get that information.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I accept fully the point he made about the procedures in Ireland and that the ones I described are not applying here. I accept that current medical practice in Ireland is not something in this area with which I would have difficulty. My problem is that by not defining medical procedures, the Minister is wide open to those procedures falling in line with those that are happening...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: On the contrary, it is very germane to this legislation. If the medics are not covered, then it creates a situation where liability occurs. Liability insurance is costly. While the State may pick up the tab for that cover, what we have found in other jurisdictions is clear. Medics are softly pressurised - and hopefully we will get to the conscience stage because it will come up as well -...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I agree with Senator Burke. We heard here that the medical profession has to date done everything to save the lives of both patients in these scenarios. Above all, they seek to do no harm. However, we are changing the culture of the medical profession. We are asking them now to kill the unborn. It is a significant cultural change and it has taken place in every single country where...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: Do not be such a know-all.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: That is not true.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I agree with those Senators who have spoken about suicide that it is a major problem in our society. Like others, I know of many families who have been devastated by it. We know from the hearings that approximately 1 in 500,000 women who are pregnant commit suicide. I agree that we should do everything we can to prevent suicides. We know also from the evidence that women who have had...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: It is not uncommon. It has happened in many instances. The most eminent expert on suicide in Ireland, and recognised internationally, is Professor Kevin Malone. During the hearings, he told us that there was a real risk that legislating for the small number of women who commit suicide could have an adverse affect on women of child bearing age who are suicidal but not pregnant and also on...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: That is what he said.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: Assuming this legislation is passed, we will need to be able to analyse the detail of why abortions are carried out here. I am not happy with sections 15 and 20. The reports to be laid before the House will not give adequate information to evaluate the position. I hope when we reach those sections we will be able to change that situation. I am opposed to this section. I have little...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: It was said at the health hearings by psychiatrists.

Seanad: Membership of Committees: Motion (19 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I wish to raise a point of order.

Seanad: Membership of Committees: Motion (19 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: Would any other Members like to emulate the principled position that Senator Kelly has taken? I think this is the opportunity to do so.

Seanad: Membership of Committees: Motion (19 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: It is a point of order in light of the unprecedented announcement which nullifies the motion before the House.

Seanad: Membership of Committees: Motion (19 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: Can I ask the Chair to hear independently a point of order? I will be very brief. I have one sentence. If the Chair stopped interrupting it would be so helpful to us to get through the business of the House, if the Chair does not mind me saying so. My point of order is because the motion is now nullified by the withdrawal of one of the individuals mentioned in the motion, I am proposing...

Seanad: Membership of Committees: Motion (19 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I will table an amendment if there is a seconder.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (22 Jul 2013)

Jim Walsh: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, line 8, after “treatment” to insert the following:“but such medical procedure shall be in accordance with current medical practice in Ireland and circumscribed by regulation”.This amendment arises because of the discussion on Committee Stage with regard to the different types of abortion procedures. The amendment proposes the...