Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

However, the Tánaiste appears to have learned very little from the children's rights referendum debacle. The history of referendums dealing with social and ethical issues is interesting because there is a pattern. The political elite convince themselves of the necessity of liberalising stupid old traditional Ireland. Opinion polls appear to heavily support them in the early days and the media all are onside. Two months before the referendum polling, opinion polls are even more emphatic in suggesting the constitutional change will go through. Thereafter however, there is debate and the final result is either a terrible shock to the political and media elite or an almighty scare, such as was evident last weekend. If the Supreme Court has adjudged the Government of the day to have acted unconstitutionally, no matter, because even if the referendum had not succeeded the other day, we probably would have a second bite of the cherry in due course. The Government should brush up on its social history before running in blithely with naive claims about what constitutes authentic human rights, as it certainly is not a version supported by the international human rights instruments.

On the subject of children's rights and children's welfare, it is astonishing that although 12 Senators raised the issue of the illegal and dangerous advice being given by counselling clinics to women seeking abortion, the Minister has still not seen fit to come into this House to make a statement, or to go into the other House to which he is even more accountable under the Constitution. On five occasions, women were told to hide their abortions from their doctors. One woman was told twice that if abortion complications arose after her surgical abortion, she needed to tell medical staff in the hospital that she had a miscarriage. In the HSE service, the woman was told that in the case of any future pregnancies after abortion, she could tell her doctor that this was her first pregnancy. I am afraid that I, and I think other Senators, will not be able to let this go until the Minister faces up to his responsibilities and makes a statement about his concern on this issue. I will ask the Leader again what I asked him last week, namely, for the Minister to come to the House on the matter.