Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The points made by Senator Crown and others today must be taken very seriously. The principle that justice must not just be done, but be seen to be done, applies to any kind of inquiry in the public interest. Today I wonder whether the reset button will have to be pressed on this inquiry. It is not just about the Galway membership of the inquiry team but from the chairperson down, anyone who has been known, or seen, to be involved in any advocacy on any side of this issue, given how fite fuaite it has become with the issue of abortion, should not be involved. Such involvement would lessen my confidence in the impartiality of the inquiry. There may be issues to be examined across the board and not just regarding the Galway membership of the inquiry team. I have concerns at this point.

It is tragic because it is quite clear that we must await the outcome of the inquiry into what happened to the late Savita Halappanavar before we can have any credible or coherent debate about the issue of abortion. Clearly there has been a hijacking of this issue, very sadly, by people who have a very radical agenda. That is why I am particularly disappointed that Sinn Féin has chosen to make the running by seeking legislation for the X case at this point when it is quite clear from the utterances of spokespeople from that party that they have not considered, or do not seem to know, the precise implications of that case. It goes far beyond anything that could be described as necessary medical interventions and that is simply inexcusable. Given the information that we heard over the weekend, namely, that elements in Sinn Féin and perhaps also in the Labour Party, are part of a pro-choice network who seem to have had advance notice of this case, who seem to have been planning a campaign of some kind ---