John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

It is clear to me that the Labour Party has called for the implementation of abortion legislation. Senators should correct me if I am wrong. Such a call is both untimely and wrong. It was wrong in terms of the X case, in which for reasons of suicide Article 40.3.3° of the Constitution was allowed to include suicide. A report was recently published by the Royal College of Psychologists which indicated that abortion is a major cause of suicide. We should not only avoid legislating but we should also ensure the significant expansion in the X case judgment is amended so that the true wishes of a large majority of the people in this country are taken into account and the right to life is protected.

On the subject of violence against the person, we have experienced a significant increase in anti-social behaviour and violence, some of it fuelled by drink. Certain areas cannot be visited on Saturday nights for fear of random acts of violence. I ask that some strategy be devised to deal with this major infringement on our rights. People should be allowed to visit every part of town at any time of the day or night without fear of meeting with random, mindless violence. As a country, we need to address that issue.