Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am conscious that the rigidity of certain views is not something that will ever change. Inside and outside the House there are those who believe the current law is too liberal. More than anything else, it is time we handed over this matter to the people to decide because it has been discussed and avoided, probably in equal measure, for the past 35 years.Let us get on with the referendum. It is clear from the figures last night that there is support for the Bill in the Seanad. Let us have the referendum for which many people have been waiting for so long. It never ceases to amaze and disappoint me that people take such a black and white view on this issue.

To pick up on a point made by Senator Paul Gavan which I had intended to make in any case, we have the Constitution that states it is illegal to have an abortion but that it is legal to travel to another country to access this form of medical care. What is wrong with us, as a nation, that we continue to stand over this hypocrisy? As a people, we have hypocrisy at our core because we have been willing to stand over this position. The same applies to us, as legislators elected to this House to put policies in place that will protect people, because we, too, have been willing to stand over this position for so long. It is 35 years since the eighth amendment was inserted into the Constitution and we continue to stand over an English solution to an Irish problem.