Results 16,141-16,160 of 20,745 for speaker:Mattie McGrath

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: Of course it is being rushed.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: This morning the Taoiseach said he wanted to get rid of the Bill before tonight. What does the Minister call that?

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: These amendments are using words lightly and glibly. We were told by Women Hurt by Abortion, a group which was not allowed to give its evidence at the committee hearings on the Bill, that they would have lied and claimed they were suicidal. This is just playing with words and semantics. I think it is very distasteful.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: I wish to seek clarification.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: This morning I received a letter in which the Ceann Comhairle stated he regretted that he had to inform me that amendment No. 3 would have to be ruled out of order as it was declaratory in nature. Will the Leas-Cheann Comhairle explain what that means?

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: I would also like to refer to amendments Nos. 48 and 72. The Minister is here today, although that he was held up and arrived late. He was not held up the morning of the committee hearings. He arrived in and we expected to have a robust debate with him that morning, as we had with the other contributors who had given honest speeches. The Minister read out a script and he fled out of the...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: Of course I will, but the Minister referred to the committee himself when he spoke, and I am referring to the hearings as well. The Minister looks surprised. He fled from the hearing that morning.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: It has to do with the sabotage of the whole Bill. A person resigned from the expert group, but we never found out why. Did the Minister meet the person or brief him or her?

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: I am referring to amendments Nos. 48 and 72. The Minister referred-----

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: I am sorry. I am talking about amendment No. 48. Others are well able to stray from the amendments, so I can stray a small bit as well. The Minister's script was 13 minutes long. He mentioned that he was willing to stay all night tonight, but he could not stay that day. What was the big hurry that day? Why did he not stay to listen to the specialists? They came in from all faculties and...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: I apologise. I was referring to amendment No. 48.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: I am not finished. The amendment proposes to delete "an unborn human life" and substitute "a pregnancy". All the words put in here are there for one reason, which is to make this Bill more liberal. They will use any means, foul or fair, as if the Savita issue was not bad enough, to hijack it for personal gain and support a push for this liberal law. The Minister said he could stay here...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: I wish to refer to amendment No. 18, which seeks to delete "which has regard to the need to preserve unborn human life as far as practicable” and substitute “which has regard to the need to preserve unborn human life as far as practicable and with due regard to the right to life of the woman". I sat through the hearings and heard all the contributions with my own ears; there...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: On a point of order, I think our eminent friends in the Press Gallery can do a good job in relaying to the public what we are saying. We depended on them years ago before there was any broadcasting.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: No problem.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: We can hear the Deputy.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: Report Stage.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: On a point of order, I received a letter this morning about amendment No. 3.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: It is in that grouping.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Mattie McGrath: I know it is not.