Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Section 1 clearly deals with the Title of the Bill, about which I am talking. I am saying it is a misnomer. I am conceding, however, that, in some instances, particularly in regard to sections 7 and 8, there may be an arguable reason for the Title. However, once one moves to section 9, all pretence about protecting life is eroded and eradicated. The Bill will lead to a situation where babies will be aborted - the baby will be killed and its life terminated. We have to speak in plain language. The Title should reflect what the Bill is about, that is all, and the language used should be honest.

I have argued before that many of the arguments made, particularly by the Government, have been in sanitised tones. We saw where that got us in the last century, when sanitised language was used to describe the most horrific of events. We should not allow that to happen in this instance.