Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Dr. Sam Coulter Smith, master of the Rotunda Hospital, a wonderful hospital, said there is no evidence to indicate that abortion prevents suicide, as did Dr. John Sheehan, consultant psychiatrist in the Mater Hospital and a lecturer in UCD. They are very eminent people.

There appears to be a complete denial of the fact that section 9 will allow the abortion of a healthy child. That is what this is about. Having looked at the evidence and heard all the views, I believe that a woman who would have an abortion on the basis of a threat of suicide would possibly be more suicidal as a result of having the abortion. I admire Senators Fidelma Healy Eames and Paul Bradford. They have a real conscience about this and have put everything at risk. They are not enjoying this. It is a very difficult period for them politically.