Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Looking forward to the debate on the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018 that is scheduled to begin later, I would like to indicate that this is a civilised House where there is usually a fair and reasonable discussion of all issues.It is a House in which personal remarks are not normally entertained or made.

I know that there will be amendments in this debate, probably from both a pro-life and a pro-choice perspective. This is a revising Chamber and when we get to the Second Stage, nobody should be bulldozed out of the way. People on either side of the argument are entitled to make their points. We should also make adequate time available to deal with this legislation in order that nobody will feel that he or she is being shouted down or rushed off the points he or she is making simply because those points are unpopular or will delay what others want to happen. We have 13 days in which to complete our deliberations on this legislation and, if we make amendments - I do not know if we will - send it back to the Dáil for its further consideration by the Dáil. That will mean it can be dealt with before the end of this calendar year, which seems to be a priority for some people.

Nobody in this House is morally superior or inferior to anybody else.