Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The amendment is very specific about the ultrasound. I am giving the reason I tabled it and the reason it is specific. This person also mentioned that abortion is a reflection that we have not met the needs of women but many states, particularly in the United States, have brought in a requirement that once a woman has made this irrevocable decision, she must be made aware that she can never reverse it. When she is suffering the anguish and the pain of the decision subsequently, having made it in a time of severe trauma, she is not able to reverse it and therefore it is imperative that if women are informed and are to be informed, they need to see the results of the ultrasound. My understanding is that in certain states in the United States, up to 90% of those who seek an abortion have decided against having the abortion. That is good because it informs the woman.

I will conclude by quoting a woman who was in the Women Hurt delegation. She is a woman who had an abortion. She said she made the choice of abortion and had a safe, legal abortion. She has worked in abortion recovery helping other women who have struggled with their abortion experience. She said that their voices are rarely heard in this debate. She said that those who would advocate and fight for her right switch sides and attack her, and other women, who dare to say that their choice was the complete unchoice in the end. She told me that I did the right thing. Women need to know the truth about what they are choosing. Otherwise, and this is the point about the ultrasound, doctors must ask themselves if their patients, as women, have fully informed consent when they make that decision. The truth has nothing to fear from disclosure. If the Minister is wont to accept this amendment it will ensure that we do not rapidly head in the direction they have gone in the neighbouring island where in almost one in four pregnancies, the baby is aborted and killed. I do not want that. I do not believe anybody in the House wants that.