Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have not proposed any amendments to this section, which relates to the issue of "condition likely to lead to death of foetus", or the unborn. As we all know, families find themselves in very tragic and difficult circumstances in this regard. The situations of these families formed much of the background to what led to the campaign to repeal the eighth amendment. My position on this matter has always been that unborn children deserve love and care throughout, until their natural end, while having deep sympathy for any family that finds itself being told that a child will die shortly after birth and will not live very long.

There are problems with providing for abortion in this situation from the point of view of those families that have lived and loved in this situation. They believe their children had a right, independent of their love and decisions for their children, to live until their natural end. I speak in particular to their witness here today. It should not be forgotten because it was a point of view that was largely forgotten and often ignored during the debate. I say that with due respect to people who travelled a different path and found themselves in a different situation.

Everybody can agree that there is a need to do everything possible to ensure top-quality perinatal hospice care facilities and resources are made available to families that find themselves in these situations. As I recall, some of what was said in the Dáil about perinatal hospice care by those who would see themselves as supporters of legalised abortion was not edifying. They suggested that the calls for perinatal hospice care were intended to be obstructive in some way. I believe people on both sides of this question can agree that it is not enough just to have perinatal hospice care. It is also important that people are always informed about the support that can be made available to them if, having received a tragic diagnosis, they decide they want to see their child die naturally shortly after his or her birth. Love and care has to be available to everybody.

It is important for people to be fully informed. As I have said, I have not proposed any amendments to this section. My eventual vote on this section on Report Stage will be determined by how the Minister deals with other amendments that have been proposed, such as those seeking to ensure people have fully informed consent and information is given properly to people. My approach to the latter issue is set out in one of my other amendments, which we will probably come to tomorrow. I will not oppose this section for now.