Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Although I will not be supporting the call for an amendment to the Order of Business, I support strongly some of the points made by Senator Rónán Mullen on the State-funded counselling service for those with crisis pregnancies. We need to ascertain whether the law has been broken, whether the lives of women are being put at risk and whether women are being advised to hide crucial information from their doctors which could have serious implications for them.

The allegation is that women are being advised to hide crucial information from their doctors which could potentially have serious implications for their future health. In that context, I am calling for the immediate publication of the audit which, as indicated by the Minister for Health in his reply to a parliamentary question by Deputy Terence Flanagan yesterday, is ongoing. We can then ascertain whether there is a need for a fuller investigation into the activities of crisis pregnancy agencies that are in receipt of State funding.

I strongly support the call this morning by Senator Lorraine Higgins for a serious examination of sentencing policy in this State, the need for which is highlighted once again by the verdict in the Jill Meagher murder case in Australia. We all know of cases where criminals convicted of serious crimes were released from prison after relatively short periods of time only to re-offend. In one case in my constituency, such a person went on to commit a second murder. We must have a serious review of our sentencing regime. I ask the Leader to arrange such a debate with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, at the earliest possible opportunity.