Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I thank all speakers who contributed to what has been a strong and impassioned debate. I thank my Labour colleagues, Senator Prendergast who seconded the motion and spoke from her extensive experience as a mid-wife and Senator Hannigan who spoke of the experience in developing countries in the fight against FGM and the importance of that fight within aid programmes.

This legislation has been a long time coming. It is nine years since the first Bill was introduced in the Dáil. I have been for some years working with a number of NGOs on this issue, the names of which I outlined to the House earlier. I take this opportunity to again pay tribute to them, in particular AkiDwA, the Irish Family Planning Association, IFPA, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and other agencies, representatives of which are in the Visitors Gallery. I thank them for all their work.

Being able to introduce this Bill in Private Members' Time is hugely important to me. I am proud to have been able to do so. As stated by Senators O'Malley, Feeney, Mary White and others on this side of the House it is an issue on which there is cross-party support. However, it often takes Private Members' Time to put a slight impetus under the Government, even where it is committed to action on an issue. I am glad I have been able to do that. This shows the importance of Private Members' Time and how it can be used by the Opposition. I am grateful to the Fine Gael Party, the Independents and the Government side for their support. I am grateful also to the Minister of State, Deputy Brady, and the Minister, Deputy Harney, who has taken a strong personal interest in this issue, for the undertaking that the heads of a Bill will be published before the summer recess and that my Bill will be read again this day six months. However, as stated by Senators O'Malley and Feeney, we need a commitment from the Leader that the Bill will be read again this day six months, although I accept this is provided for in the proposed amendments to the amendment, and that law on this issue will be at least introduced in this House in six months time. I am glad of those commitments.

The Minister of State made some points in regard to my Bill. I regret she did not see fit to accept the Bill as is as I believe it deals with the key issues in that it defines FGM, tackles the issue of the defence of consent, provides for extraterritorial effect and, most important, provides a strong penalty of 14 years imprisonment. I am aware that in some countries such as Nigeria a low penalty, a €5 or €6 fine, is applicable in this regard and that people often pay the fine in order to carry out the practice. It is important we have a strong penalty for this in our law and that we make provision for the DPP's consent. The other points made by the Minister of State could be easily dealt with. This is a straightforward piece of legislation.

I heard at the day of action in European Parliament House on 4 February, organised by the National Steering Committee, at which I had the honour of speaking and on other dates heard speeches from women living in Ireland upon whom FGM was practised. Their account of the horrific procedure as practised upon them has galvanised me and I know has impassioned others on this issue. As a feminist and a mother of two small girls, I believe passionately that we need to pass this legislation as a matter of urgency. It is of symbolic and practical significance. It is of practical significance if it prevents even one girl living in Ireland having FGM performed upon her. It is of immense symbolic significance because it is a small step in the huge worldwide campaign to stamp out this brutal practice of the abuse of the rights of women and children. As other speakers stated, this is about abuse of power and the powerlessness of women and children in developing countries worldwide. Our commitment to pass this legislation is an important and symbolic step in trying to end the oppression of women and girls worldwide. I believe that is the light in which we all see this. I am glad with the consensus we have achieved tonight. I thank everyone for their support.