Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I spoke about the issue of foetal pain on Committee Stage last week. A large body of evidence supports the fact the foetus feels pain in the womb during a termination or abortion, particularly if the foetus is over 20 weeks. Professor Glover, a pro-choice advocate in the United Kingdom, says this is the case from 17 weeks onwards. My amendment requests that an anaesthetic be provided for the unborn at terminations at 16 weeks, provided there is no ill effect for the mother.

I have looked widely at research in this area. In neonatal units in the United Kingdom, surgery on foetuses over 23 weeks is performed with the unborn child under anaesthetic. It is medically accepted that unborn babies feel pain and some people argue that they feel pain from 17 weeks. There have been several attempts to highlight this in the United Kingdom. In 2008, a motion was put forward to reduce the abortion time limit to 20 weeks, on the basis of pain research on unborn children. In the US, some 11 states now recommend an anaesthetic at the time of an abortion, because of the evidence on pain. The evidence is so strong that last month the US Congress passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, limiting abortions to 20 weeks, due to the pain experienced by the unborn child during abortions of foetuses over 20 weeks. The common ground on this issue is that where abortions are performed on any unborn child over 20 weeks, there is broad agreement on the experience of pain by the unborn.

As Members know, the situation here is that a termination is allowed, legally, up to birth. I know the Minister has said that babies will be induced, but the Bill does not state that abortion cannot be carried out. I was struck by evidence that in the later stages of pregnancy, the placenta thickens to protect the unborn child from maternal viruses, HIV, alcohol and other toxic substances. In the process, it also protects the foetus against maternal anaesthesia. Although the mother may be under anaesthetic, that anaesthesia does not pass on to the unborn in the later stages of pregnancy. For this reason, since approximately 2000, a separate anaesthetic is given to the infant in perinatal surgery as it has been proven that infants feel pain quite intensely.

Can anybody here name one Senator or citizen who would deny an unborn baby an anaesthetic if its life must be ended, if that would give some relief to the unborn child? I hope the Minister of State accepts this amendment. We are trying to be humane. It is a pity we have to go down this road, but if we do, let us end that life in as pain free and humane a manner as possible. If an animal has to be put down, that is done in a pain free manner. Let us not think a child's life is any less.

This is my request. I have a large body of information on foetal pain. I understand I will be able to come back on this, as I am the proposer of the motion. Is that correct?