Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The history of how our State has treated women down through the years has been less than commendable and we should never forget that. For this reason I am happy to support Senator Michael D'Arcy's words this afternoon that with so many women enslaved in the Irish sex industry we should be moving on the legislation that will punish the purchasers of sex in this country. We have had good debates on this. It is equally offensive that at the future Oireachtas hearings on abortion, testimonies will not be taken from Irish women who have had abortions. A very clear message is going out that these women do not count. We should be very careful.

There is a great irony that we are prepared to listen to the medics, psychiatrists and legal people who, to be fair, are working at arm's length from this issue and that we are not prepared to listen to the women who are prepared to give their stories in camera. If we are ever to learn about the real reasons women are seeking abortions in this country, they are the people we should listen to. I ask the Leader to convey my deep concerns to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health on this issue, and I ask the Leader to ask him to find a way to reconsider yesterday's decision by the Oireachtas health committee on this issue. We have an opportunity to get evidence that is missing to date and that will definitely complement the full picture.