Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to support Senator Walsh's amendment. It cracks to the core of this issue and touches on the medical procedure which in theory is a forced abortion. We have listened to the arguments being put forward by Senator Colm Burke and the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White. Unfortunately, it appears to be clear that for one reason or another, or the tone being set, that no amendments will be accepted in this House as was the case in the Dáil.

The Bill is quite clinical about the medical procedure because babies have a better chance of survival after 24 weeks or six months, than earlier. The longer the baby is in the womb, the stronger its chance of survival. It is possible to end a pregnancy by inducing labour or by Caesarean delivery at this stage rather than by having an abortion. Abortion is a deliberate ending of the life of the baby whereas the other two methods offer hope that the baby will actually live. The Bill makes no mention of these other procedures. It refers only to the medical procedure which is outlined to include the prescribing by a medical practitioner of any drug or medical treatment.