Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Assuming this legislation is passed, we will need to be able to analyse the detail of why abortions are carried out here. I am not happy with sections 15 and 20. The reports to be laid before the House will not give adequate information to evaluate the position. I hope when we reach those sections we will be able to change that situation.

I am opposed to this section. I have little difficulty with the remainder of the Bill. I am concerned that this legislation, because judicial activism intervenes and hard cases are presented by people who are pro-choice, as happened in the C and X cases and in other countries, will be broadened. Judges, because they come from a particular disposition, will take a view.

I am hugely concerned about the application of this section. I have concerns around the disposition of staff in the Department and HSE to the issue, many of whom do not share my perspective. Any honest assessment of the hearings would be that those who appeared before them were either pro-life or pro-choice. Therein lies a problem from the point of view of having objective, clear, independent evaluations. That worries me. Unfortunately, I predict this section will lead to a situation whereby abortion will be more liberally available here in the next five years than it has been for the past 30 years.