Results 22,681-22,700 of 46,014 for speaker:Simon Harris

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy and colleagues for these amendments. As I outlined when discussing the first grouping, Deputies have proposed changing the definition of "termination of pregnancy" contained in the Bill to include the use of the term "abortion" or to refer instead to the ending of pregnancy using a medical or surgical procedure. On the language used in the Bill, the 36th amendment of...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Deputy Donnelly has asked great questions. The short answer is "Yes". Every formula of words has been examined in consultation with the Attorney General, my own officials and legal advisers in my Department. The reason that I am satisfied with this language is the medical community is largely satisfied with it. In a letter to all of us, which was sent to me this morning and, I think, sent...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: It is not.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: A pregnancy-----

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: There is a difference legally. One is still pregnant when one is carrying twins.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I am always happy to engage on language but I am not going to give a commitment that we can come up with better language because this is not just a letter from 24 doctors. These are the 24 doctors who make up the maternal foetal medical specialist group who are drawing up the clinical guidelines and the care pathways for women. I am not going to change language to give language that would...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I am sorry. "More inclusive language" is a fairer reflection of what I wanted to say. The point is that we can insert more inclusive language and have doctors not be able to provide services so when Deputy-----

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: No, but that is the advice that has been given to the committee this morning by medics. It is not at all that I as a Minister am against more inclusive language. We can have as many votes as we want on these amendments. The reality is no-one in this room will provide medical care for these women, with the exception, perhaps, of the Chairman. The people who will provide medical care for...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Deputy O'Connell called me to discuss her amendments and I was happy to discuss them.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: We are going to discuss Deputy Fitzpatrick's amendments in great detail here and I disagree with them all, as he knows. No matter how much we engage on them, I ill disagree with them. I look forward to explaining why I disagree in great detail later.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: My only side here is-----

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: No, and the side I am on here is that I am implementing the will of the people, not subverting it.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: It is important that we get this right and I am happy to engage on it.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I get fully where the Deputy is coming from and I want this legislation to be inclusive. I want it to be trans-inclusive. I want a very clear message to go out from these Houses that this legislation is inclusive of transgender people. There would be unintended consequences to this, and Deputy Coppinger has correctly asked me to explain what those are. I will do that now. I suggest that...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Yes, Deputy Collins raised this matter on Second Stage. As a layperson and non-lawyer, this was the first thing I wanted to do and it seemed to make perfect sense. I wondered why one would not want to do it. When we looked at it in much more detail from a legal perspective, I was told by much greater minds than mine that it was not so straightforward and there could be that unintended...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I have requested that.

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: Sure.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Not everybody in this country is as progressive on the issue of inclusion as I would hope, expect and know members of this committee to be. I do not wish to ignore the legal advice that suggests that people could take challenges that could cause difficulties for people. None of us wants that to happen. Through my speaking points, I shared the totality of the advice I received and there is...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Before I get into the substance of what Deputy Nolan is trying to do, the amendment is tabled to the wrong section of the Bill. This section has nothing to do with eligibility. That is section 25, which deals with the amendment to the Health Act. This section is in every piece of legislation. It allows the Minister of the day to administer the Bill. Funnily enough, I will not be involved...