Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am thankful for the opportunity to comment once again, and I will reflect a little further on amendment No. 38 and particularly paragraph (d), the proposal that pain relief should be administered to the foetus before death. I appeal in particular to my colleagues in the Fine Gael Party, as they are members of a Christian democratic party, and ask how we could oppose such an amendment. How could we oppose putting in place a request that before an abortion takes place or an unborn child is killed, we would at least try to provide some degree of pain relief?

Will the Minister reflect on the decisions taken by his colleague in a different Department, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, who is monitoring veterinary clinics and providing animal welfare legislation? We all support the regulations he has correctly put in place to ensure animals in this country do not suffer. We spent weeks in this House debating the animal welfare legislation, and I am sure the Minister heard some of the discussion in the other House. Our country put in place measures to look after animals, which is only right. We are proposing a modest amendment requesting that where an abortion is unfortunately taking place, we can ensure there will be pain relief for the child. How could any civilised citizen say "No" to such an amendment?

I concede that the amendment was not discussed in the Dáil and it is a Seanad amendment. The Minister's officials may not have sufficient time to reflect on it and they may not have sought the evidence that is freely available clearly showing that unborn children suffer pain, with at least some degree of a remedy available. We should not divide on it this afternoon but the Minister should give an indication that he is willing to think long and hard before ultimately saying "No". If there is any amendment in any section that makes a very profound statement about the legislation, us as legislators, our Government and our conscience, this is the one. The Minister should at least be willing to think and sit down with his officials over the weekend in order to examine the evidence and believe that as a civilised society, we will take this very modest step.

It is impossible to come up with even a reasonable excuse to say "No" to this amendment. Let us think about it over the weekend and come back on Report Stage. Let us prove that we speak for people born and unborn and can do so in a civilised fashion.