Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It was a step forward. One could avail of contraception if one was married and had a doctor's prescription. I am just putting that out there to show the Ireland that gave rise to the eighth amendment. I was alive then, I voted then, and to be honest, I cannot remember how I voted. I suspect that I voted against it but I cannot be certain. That was foisted on the people by a strong, tenacious core group who wanted to get that in and use their leverage, as they were entitled to, in the course of a general election. They had the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil competing with each other to lick up to them, and that is how it appeared.

Many people voted for it because it sounded reasonably good. It has a nice ring to it: "in so far as it is practicable", and all that. I can see why people bought into it. However, when it comes to closer analysis, we have just heard a forensic, coherent argument from Senator McDowell particularly in which he went to the nub of it as to how people can say that a recently implanted ovum is a person in the very same way as a 20 year old or a 40 year old, or in the very same way is equal to its mother.The point I am trying to make is that the world has changed. People are changing. Those under the age of 53 have never been given an opportunity to have a say on this fundamental matter, which is the major social and health issue of our time. It is high time we afforded such an opportunity to them. Senators should not forget that this is what we are here to talk about. The question before the House is, "That section 1 stand part of the Bill", and I certainly hope it will stand. There will be lots of time to debate this between now and 25 May. I am not anticipating the date, but the newspapers are telling us that everyone will have an opportunity to express their views on the eighth amendment on 25 May.