Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a great deal of respect for the Senator and others, but we need to examine the Whip system in general and certainly where there are issues of conscience. I had serious conscience issues in voting on the cuts to the respite care grant because of my background. I wrestled with my conscience on that issue, but I am part of a political party that is trying to deal with the problems facing the country and voted as such, difficult though it was. Similarly, there are other cuts to disability services that I find unpalatable, but because they are necessary to protect the overall good, I have had to vote for them. We need to rethink the Whip system fundamentally, but that is for another day. However, I look forward to that debate.

I am also looking forward to this issue being dealt and coming off the political agenda. While it is an extremely important and serious one, there are other extremely important issues such as getting people back to work and creating jobs that give people equality. I would like to see the Government focus its energies on that issue. When this legislation is done and dusted, the Minister of State will be able to focus her attention on ensuring items such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are ratified, as well as on the capacity legislation, on which she is working hard. She will be able to redouble her efforts to ensure we get these important measures over the line.

These issues affect the lives of people and will help save lives. It has been a difficult couple of weeks. Some of my best friends cannot support the Bill and I feel for them and the struggle they have had in dealing with this. Having said that, I want to see more support structures for our 5,000 citizens who feel they must go abroad. That is not good enough. The ideal situation is that the 5,000 people are persuaded to keep their babies but that is not always possible. We need to realise this is an issue that cannot continue to be ignored. By ignoring it, we are ignoring our citizens.