Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to thank Senators O'Donnell and Mac Conghaíl for putting down these amendments. This shows great courage. I have met and listened to women on both sides of this issue, women who have received the difficult diagnosis that their baby has a fatal foetal abnormality. I have listened to the stories of the trauma they all experienced, because in each case the pregnancy was wanted. These women had no desire to end the baby's life. This makes this situation very different from what is in the Bill before us.

I noticed the incredible anger among the women who had to take that trip to England, because they believed it was not right to give birth to a baby that would not live outside the womb. I also met women here in Leinster House who made the decision to give birth. I met one woman whose baby lived for 19 minutes after birth, one woman whose baby lived for 27 hours and one woman whose baby survived birth and was then six years old and in a wheelchair. In all cases, the diagnosis was similar for both sets of women. What struck me forcibly was that the women who were able to give birth were happier. I say honestly that what I noticed was these women were happier. I am not judging these women and I am not taking sides on this issue. The reason they presented to me as happier -----