Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If it is a policy of ideologically-motivated ignorance, on the basis that knowledge might produce facts that might cause us to have discussions about things we need to change, it is really bad. The fact is that Ireland is becoming an abortion regime. A big change is taking place. Even in our nearest neighbouring jurisdiction, where abortion is freely available, with nearly 200,000 abortions per year, it is considered appropriate to gather information on what is going on because there are certainly public health issues involved.

I am certainly not going to fall out with my friend Senator Norris but I ask him to consider carefully what we are proposing. We are proposing a mirroring of what is going on in Britain. Neither he nor anybody else in this House has, to my knowledge, criticised the data collection in Britain. The presumption must be that it is happening for a reason. I gave an example of why the ethnicity criterion was appropriate. The British perspective was that they wanted to ensure ethnic minorities had equal access to abortion.