Results 4,961-4,980 of 7,583 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

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

Rónán Mullen: Shame.

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

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 13: In page 8, line 29, to delete “is ended” and substitute “may be lost”.There are two interrelated problems with the legislation. One has been referred to by Senator Mary Ann O'Brien, among others, and concerns the lack of term limits. At a minimum evil, on foot of avoidable circumstances in situations provided for in section 9, a child at...

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

Rónán Mullen: A number of different and interesting issues have arisen from the debate on this section, perhaps more than I had expected. It is interesting the difference of analysis and prediction. Senator Bradford confronted us with what one of the medical consultants and obstetrician said at the hearings. I did not hear his comments being contradicted by Government, at any point, to provide further...

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

Rónán Mullen: It seems to me, given what Dr. Sam Counter Smith said about the significant ethical dilemmas that would confront some of his colleagues when asked to end the lives of children of healthy pregnancies, that at the very least a budget for counselling will have to be provided for some of the medical staff who may be implicated in all of this. Senator Gilroy reflected on his experience of working...

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

Rónán Mullen: I would be grateful if the Minister of State would rehearse for us what I believe has been supplied to some extent and given that we have been reassured that it is going to be just business as usual. What can she tell us about the involvement of psychiatry in the ending of pregnancies either in Britain or elsewhere but where the mother and child are Irish? What has the HSE's role been in...

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

Rónán Mullen: In response to the last point, when it comes to worrying about whether legislation is unconstitutional, I believe it would enjoy the presumption of constitutionality. That is a bridge I would be happy to pass when I would reach it.

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

Rónán Mullen: I thank Senator Walsh for tabling this amendment and thank the Minister of State for her response. The Minister of State mentioned that the permitted hospitals are listed in the Schedule. Would any proposal to add further institutions be subject to a vote in either or both Houses of the Oireachtas.

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

Rónán Mullen: I thank the Minister of State.

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

Rónán Mullen: The Minister of State mentioned that nothing in this legislation would prevent the availability of facilities. That does not mandate the availability of facilities. I would be very concerned about that.

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

Rónán Mullen: I agree with Senator Walsh. I completely reject the language of our not trusting doctors and not trusting women, which language has been bandied around in this debate. The purpose of legislation is to provide for people's rights in an appropriation fashion, which means one does not have to depend on having to trust every person. This amendment relates to the availability of facilities. Is...

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

Rónán Mullen: This section provides for the repeal of sections 58 and 59 of the Offences against the Persons Act 1861. It is worth noting - this is relevant in the context of this debate - that those sections still exist in the British jurisdiction. Despite the fact that abortion continues to be criminalised by that pre-Independence legislation, a coach and four has been driven through this over the...

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

Rónán Mullen: Quite frankly, I would rather be bringing home the turf but the issue is important and needs to be teased out properly. It would be a pretence of democracy to say Committee Stage must be completed by 10 p.m. as this is a life and death Bill. I am very disappointed that Senator Darragh O'Brien made those comments, as everybody must be allowed say his or her piece. Even if we do not choose...

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

Rónán Mullen: -----vote for something that is quite unconscionable. They just want a chance to applaud themselves in the Chamber, which is unedifying.

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

Rónán Mullen: May I speak to the section?

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

Rónán Mullen: It is regrettable that the amendment relating to a definition of "viable" has not been accepted because other proposed amendments hinge on it. I emphasise and support what Senator Healy Eames has just said about the definition of "unborn" in the Bill. It illustrates again the dark reality that underlies the legislation. I would love to think it was a lack of attention by the Government but...

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

Rónán Mullen: On a point of order, there comes a point at which reason must operate.

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

Rónán Mullen: I wish to explain what I mean by this.

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

Rónán Mullen: Senator Darragh O'Brien, who I admire, made certain comments which, while he may have been sincere in making them, in my view were unfair on the whole to Senator Walsh, and it is important-----

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

Rónán Mullen: -----that the Senator be allowed to make some reflection-----

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

Rónán Mullen: -----on that.