Results 2,941-2,960 of 7,637 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I will conclude.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I do not think I have referred to Mr. Thompson previously so this is new and relevant information that relates to this amendment. When pressed at the committee, this neonatalogist said the procedure was that there would be one injection to stop the baby moving or, as he said, to "paralyse" the baby. He said the second injection in the foeticide was an injection to the heart, part of the...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 36:In page 10, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “Administration of anaesthetic or analgesic to foetus14. (1) A medical practitioner who carries out a termination of pregnancy shall take all steps as may be appropriate and practicable to avoid causing pain to the foetus.(2) Where the medical practitioner who is carrying out a termination of...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: Understood.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I accept that the Minister may have revised his position or the language he uses in putting it forward since the matter was discussed in the Lower House. However, he has given no other reason for opposing the amendment similar to this one, which was tabled in the Lower House. That is why it is necessary for me to dwell on what is the Minister's objection to this humane and humanising,...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: Recent research from the United States indicates that they can feel pain as early as 18 weeks and that anaesthetics should be used from that point. We propose that they be used from 20 weeks. We have tried to avoid any unnecessary ambiguities. As I stated, the amendment does not apply to abortions under section 10 or where there is a reasonable belief that harm might be caused to the...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I continue to thank Senator Norris for his very respectful disagreement with me and it is appreciated because many people regard it as an enormously tragic development in Irish life that we have abandoned the two-patient model and that we have lost empathy officially with unborn children. I am sorry to have to say that the Minister is back to the Orwellian doublespeak when he says that this...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I have pointed out to the Minister that there is legislation he supported that requires the administration of pain relief in certain situations to animals. I note that he did not answer that.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: There are certain phrases that get used in politics, a Chathaoirligh, which include "This has nothing to do with the amendment", "This is not appropriate for legislation", "This could have unintended consequences"-----

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: ----- or "This would cause a charge on the Exchequer". Time and again, politicians bring politics into disrepute by hiding behind spurious, technical arguments. This amendment does not specify the "how" of pain relief, or which drugs should be used any more than this legislation does not get into the details of the care path and the treatment plan for women in this situation. For the...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 38:In page 11, line 27, to delete "appropriate" and substitute "necessary".

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 40:In page 13, line 36, to delete "or section 12" and substitute ", section 12certification or section 22". Should I move both amendments?

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: They are related.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I understand. I will take the opportunity to speak to amendment No. 45 which deals with the matter of parental notification. I stress that it relates to parental notification and not parental consent. Given that the age of consent for medical treatment in Ireland is 16 years in virtually all cases, surely this age of consent should also apply to this most serious matter of termination of...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: The notion that a rapist would seek to prevent a girl having an abortion is a novel one. The Deputy making that comment should be aware that there is much evidence from the neighbouring jurisdiction and other jurisdictions that abortion is used to cover up rape and sexual abuse, with the guilty party putting a girl or woman under duress to have an abortion in order to cover up their crimes....

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: That is what I am doing.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I am giving the rationale for this amendment.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: Potentially in the absence of any statutory provision, and relying on the Medical Council and HSE guidance, a circumstance could arise where a doctor becomes aware of some key information, namely, that the girl is pregnant and that this may be as a result of a sexual offence committed against her. How can we stand over a situation where a doctor does not have a legal duty to inform parents...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I will have the opportunity to consider what the Minister of State and Senators McDowell, Norris and others have said. I am loath to disagree with somebody of Senator McDowell's eminence, but I think the issues are different here. The provision of abortion without cause shown is one thing. The requirement for notification does not interfere...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2018)

Rónán Mullen: I will come to that. Addressing the comments of my friend and colleague, Senator McDowell, if it is another kind of a crime, I would have thought that the balance of advantage lies with this requirement for notification of parents. Unless it is believed that the parents are somehow complicit in the crime, it would surely be wrong to contemplate notifying various civil authorities, such as...