Results 22,481-22,500 of 45,789 for speaker:Simon Harris
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I said that about the assembly, not the eighth amendment.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: Yes.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: In private.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I have no role in the ruling in or out of amendments. I would have welcomed the opportunity to-----
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: That is a matter for the committee to follow up with the relevant officials. The ruling had nothing to do with my function as Minister or that of the Government.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: This amendment has the opposite effect. It would not have a charge and would restrict the spending of public moneys.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I want to take Deputy Smith's advice and not rehash the referendum debate; that is a good reminder for all of us. I want to quickly make three points. First, a technical point, I genuinely do not believe the proposed amendment No. 13 is where the Deputy would want it because eligibility is dealt with in section 25. Second, let us be clear that we are not doing anything radical today....
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: A number of Deputies have proposed amending Part 1 to include a provision guaranteeing access to termination of pregnancy care. I understand what they are trying to do but it is superfluous without being in any way disrespectful in using that word. The entire purpose of the referendum and this enabling Bill is to give access that does not currently exist and subsequently as we have just...
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I told my officials that the Deputy would say that.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Joan Collins for her amendment. First, the woman seeking the abortion is never criminalised. We are following through on the recommendation of the all-party committee that the woman seeking the abortion is never criminalised. There is decriminalisation in that respect. Perhaps we have different views on this, but if something is legal in certain circumstances it obviously...
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: This has been a useful debate. I am looking at the report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which called on the Minister to amend the law. It states:The Committee recommends that the law be amended to provide that(a) surgical terminations may only be legally carried out in a hospital setting [which we have done and] (b) medical terminations may only be...
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I have no doubt we will do our best. I am happy to engage with and meet Deputies and to make officials available as we prepare for Report Stage and try to improve this section. There is a sense from the contributions that we can improve the section. What I do not intend to do, however, is deviate from the fundamental grounds on which abortion is legal in Ireland to a new set of grounds on...
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: They have good judgment and make good decisions anyway.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I suggest we work together on this section between now and Report Stage. There was a discussion earlier about the definition of "ending the life of a foetus", and the committee received medical correspondence today from 24 members of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which has drawn up the clinical guidelines, to say that changing the wording would provide them with less...
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I will genuinely discuss the issue with the Deputy. Whether we can resolve it is a matter that we will see during the discussion. I am happy to engage between now and Report Stage, and there is obviously an opportunity to resubmit on Report Stage.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I take the points Deputy O'Connell has made and I will be happy to consider them further before Report Stage. We are bringing in a range of heads that provide opportunities for women to safely, legally and freely access abortion services up to 12 weeks without specific indication. I will make a point that may not be for the debate on the Bill but is part of discussions taking place in other...
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: I move amendment No. 32:In page 8, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following:"Review of operation of Act 9. The Minister shall, not later than 5 years after the commencement of this section, carry out a review of the operation of this Act.". This is a sensible amendment to insert a review clause in the legislation. We have already had a number of discussions today on a number of...
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: That and Bantry hospital.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: It could be.
- Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)
Simon Harris: For two years.