Results 5,521-5,540 of 8,245 for speaker:Bríd Smith

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

Bríd Smith: No. I will withdraw it to reintroduce it at a later stage.

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

Bríd Smith: Yes.

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

Bríd Smith: Yes.

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

Bríd Smith: I will first make a general point and then ask a question. Given that we are re-running the debate of the referendum now, which may be repeated as we go through these amendments, I would like all of us to be aware that there is a job of work to be done for the women and the pregnant people of this country. We made a commitment to them. If we are going to keep re-running the debate we will...

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

Bríd Smith: Can the Chairman answer my question? What was the legal opinion? I have made a valid point and I do not mind if I have to wait until later to get an answer.

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

Bríd Smith: Yes.

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

Bríd Smith: The amendment could be unconstitutional and it seems that was not taken into consideration.

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

Bríd Smith: The chill factor of the 14 years jumps off the page. It looms darkly over all of this. We favour removing the entire section on offences. It may well have a great deal to do with how we define the legislation. That is why we feel the Title is important with the reference to the regulation of women's health. Let us say that we were regulating men's health, would we have to insert that it...

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

Bríd Smith: As I stated, we want the whole section deleted.

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

Bríd Smith: Yes.

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

Bríd Smith: I reject the Minister's argument because they are separate. This is a section dealing with the definition of health. The other proposal was, unfortunately, rejected by the committee. It related to the grounds on which one could argue for a termination. They are separate and it is not right to conflate the two. This is simply dealing with the definition. I did not agree with the outcome...

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

Bríd Smith: I move amendment No. 35:In page 8, line 17, to delete “or mental health” and substitute “, mental or social well-being”.

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

Bríd Smith: I move amendment No. 36:In page 8, line 27, to delete “either before, or within 28 days of, birth”. I might be convinced to the contrary after I hear others' arguments, but the period mentioned is a restriction that is not in the spirit of dealing with foetal life that is incompatible with life outside the womb. How can one determine that this is okay up to 28 days when the...

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

Bríd Smith: I have a question on which other members may wish to follow-up. We have dealt with many amendments in respect of which the Minister referred to the legislation and the medical guidelines and how they must marry with or complement each other. My point is that this should be a medical guideline rather than something dealt with in legislation. I am not against medics having advice or guidance...

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

Bríd Smith: I am sorry that I mentioned the chill factor. I ask the Minister to forget that I referred to it and let us talk about the substantive argument, namely, that this should be a clinical guideline and not a legislative provision.

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

Bríd Smith: I wish to come back to the amendment with which we are dealing. The words "shortly after" do not appear in it. What the amendment states is "to delete "either before, or within 28 days of, birth"" from the sentence containing the words "likely to lead to the death of a foetus". The words "shortly after" do not come into it. The Minister is using those words; I am not.

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

Bríd Smith: Yes, so those words do not come into it and it is neither here nor there in the context of this discussion. The Minister is having it both ways in what he argues. He says the Bill must be prescriptive on exactly 28 days and no more, yet there is a 14-year sentence for any medical practitioner breaking the legislation. It is not right for the Minister to try to have this both ways. If he...

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

Bríd Smith: We would like to see that advice.

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

Bríd Smith: We want to be robust about this because we have been through a lifetime of experience of sinister and mean spirited elements trying to do down anyone who supports the right to choose and full access to women's health care. We have been through the movie in this country so many times. Even over the summer months so much time was wasted. We should have been dealing with this but cases were...

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

Bríd Smith: I am trying to clarify what we mean by the term "28 days".