Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Darragh O'Brien's comments about the unfortunate way in which the expert group report was leaked. I ask the Leader for an early debate in the Seanad on the content of the expert group report. It is very unsatisfactory that this has been leaked and we have not had an opportunity to comment on its strengths, flaws or what has been included or excluded. I share the calls for a reasoned and respectful debate but there are important issues at stake.

One of the tragedies of this issue is that the Seanad debate could end up as a sham if the Government rushes into a decision and seeks to engage in the pretence of consultation with each House while allowing itself to be manipulated on the back of a Galway tragedy that is extreme into legislating for abortion in potentially very wide circumstances. I am specifically referring to the medically unverifiable suicide grounds. I disagree with Senator Bacik that the Government should make a swift decision. Everybody agrees that women deserve, need and are entitled to all necessary life-saving treatment but when it comes to a threat of suicide, it is not that people do not seek to act in good faith-----