Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate all our colleagues who sat on the committee. I thank them for all their time and dedication to the committee by listening and contributing to the work of the committee. I particularly thank Senator Noone, who maintained her impartiality. She was fair to participants, she was dedicated and she was dignified at all times while chairing the committee.

All life is precious, including that of the unborn and that of the mother. The arrival of a child into every family is a blessing and something to be cherished. Irish mothers have a long track record of caring for their children, which is evident everywhere we look. The health and well-being of the mother and the health care they receive is of course of paramount concern to us all and to mothers who are contemplating future motherhood.

The issue, the subject matter of the committee, is a highly emotive and complex matter. Within many families there is a divergence of opinion. Ultimately however, the issue of the eighth amendment has cast doubt over those people it affects, mainly the health of women and girls, and this needs to be resolved. According to the facts, we know that crisis pregnancy is not going away whether we change the law or not. We can reduce the incidence of crisis pregnancies by implementing some of the ancillary recommendations of the report including improving sexual health and relationship education, introducing free and accessible contraception, improving counselling and improving in general women's health care. This is something we have failed at in the past and continue to fail with. Without sounding glib, if men needed a particular reproductive care such as that needed by women, we would probably see a state-of-the-art hospital akin to the Aviva Stadium. We do not see anything of the sort for women. Even today, women are treated in run-down archaic hospitals in this city. Thankfully, however, we have the assistance of medical professionals who give a top-class service despite the inadequate conditions.

We know that in 2016, 3,265 women gave Irish addresses to hospitals in England and Wales when accessing abortions there. The numbers of women from Ireland obtaining abortions in those jurisdictions could be even higher if they have been giving UK addresses. Ultimately, and most harrowingly, those who receive abortions in the UK do not receive the best practice in relation to medical care, counselling and access to contraception that they deserve. We also know that more than 1,500 women in Ireland each year access the abortion pill online without any medical supervision. They have had harrowing experiences. Many woman who have obtained the abortion bill online are afraid to access medical care because of the criminal sanctions. The evidence given to the committee by two current and former masters of maternity hospitals was ad idemin respect of the eighth amendment. Those experts stated that the eighth amendment is the central barrier to the provision of best practice abortion and maternity care in Ireland and that it should be removed. The medical profession, including the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, has also supported these recommendations.

The current law, which includes criminal provisions, prevents the doctors in Ireland from giving women the very best medical care that they deserve. Surely this is enough. During the debate on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, many people predicted the opening of a flood gate for abortions in Ireland. This was not the case. I understand that less than three dozen abortions were performed under the legislation.

Many Irish women want to become mothers and Irish mothers have a clear, fantastic track record of looking after their children very dearly. It is time for the State to allow Irish women themselves make decisions in respect of their bodies. I believe it is time to trust Irish women and give them an opportunity to vote on the eighth amendment. The evidence from the medics is crystal clear and I do not believe we can continue with this cruel treatment of Irish women.