Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Cathaoirleach's position, but forcing decent, hard-working and conscientious healthcare workers to do something they find morally troubling, even abhorrent, crosses a line. They have received their own legal advice and they know the freedom of conscience protections the Minister claims are in the Bill offer no meaningful safeguards. The Minister is putting many healthcare workers through hell through his refusal to listen to them. I dearly wish that he would amend his Bill, but if he does not, it will not end there. Peacefully but persistently, people will stand united against the injustice of what the Minister is trying to impose. I believe it will give rise to a civil rights and civil disobedience movement that this country has not seen in a long time because people will tolerate a lot of things but they will not tolerate their freedom to object conscientiously being trampled on. I do not think people will tolerate their doctors, who give them so much care, and other medical professionals being bullied in this way.

The Minister says that Medical Council guidelines are going to change in line with the legislation, and we know they will. The same is true of the PSI's guidelines and all relevant guidelines because the law will shape what happens in future. The power of the State is behind the provision of abortion, so the Minister does not need to bully medical personnel to become a cog in the wheel, as they see it, by being required to refer or even participate more directly - not under pain of being punished by this Bill but of not being protected by this Bill from punishment by their employer. That is the point the Minister has either not grasped or has not been willing to engage with. Those conscientious objectors should not be seen as the awkward squad, nuisance people or doctors who would show women the door. They are caring professionals who, for whatever reason, be it a faith-based or philosophical reason or just their clinical judgement, believe they have a duty in justice to the unborn child as well as the mother before them. That is what actuates their concern. Asking them to be involved in transferring for a care they do not believe is care, for a procedure they do not believe is compassionate because it excludes one of the two parties they see before them albeit only one is immediately visible, is the injustice.

It is so unfair because, as I said, the entire power of the State is behind the Minister's abortion proposal. He is going to spend an enormous amount of taxpayers' money making abortion available, including through the use of advertising telling people how they can access this service. He does not need to force doctors, midwives or anybody else to pass on information they believe will be fatal to the well-being of another human being.All rights are of course limited and even the right to conscientious objection is limited where what is at issue is necessary medical treatment. I would not support the right of any person to object in conscience to bona fide treatment needed by another person. However, the whole point of the Minister's legislation is that it includes an abortion regime that is not connected with medicine, as under section 12 no reason is required to be given. I do not understand why the Minister wants to turn this-----