Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Even when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases, we still do not have a full understanding. Children need to be taught about these matters as early as is deemed appropriate. We need to be just a little more grown up. Ireland has said enough to the way women have been treated. There has been a maturation process over the recent period. I hope we will be able to talk about breastfeeding and all the normal functions of life in a mature way. We have had Catholic guilt for far too long in this country over how we conduct our lives and in respect of so many facets.

The question is where we go from here. I hope that over the coming days we will have this Bill ready for signature by the President, although it might have to go back to the Dáil, and that we will have the desired facility provided in this country. There are so many other points to consider, however. Senator Clifford-Lee also alluded to this. Women’s healthcare requires considerable attention. It has been much neglected. What has been occurring is simply not acceptable anymore. Having passed this legislation, we will move towards addressing women's healthcare. Breastfeeding, sex education, counselling for women who go through difficult circumstances and many other recommendations of the committee will have to be front and centre over the coming years. There is a lot of time to be made up owing to how we treated women as a society over decades.

I am very happy to be at this stage after a lot of work by many people who worked together to get the Bill to this Stage. We have more work to do over the coming days. As I stated, I hope the debate will be respectful and purposeful and that we will get on with the work and have the Bill passed into law as soon as possible.