Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The concerns I had that the proposed three-year review of the 2018 abortion legislation would not be impartial have only grown since hearing what the Minister for Health had to say this morning. From the outset he continued to speak of his concern about widening access to abortion. When the official from the Department of Health spoke about the supposedly independent chair this morning, she stressed the need for a candidate with an approach of sexual and reproductive rights. This has been a consistent byword for pro-choice or pro-abortion, whichever one wishes to call it. The use by the official, Ms Luddy in this case, of that term raises concern in me and in many other people about whether there will be any independence at all.

The Government and perhaps this House might not mind being reminded that in 2018 we removed a constitutional right to life for the unborn child, but we did not create a constitutional right to abortion. The Constitution now states that "Provision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancy". It follows from that that any independent review of the legislation should hear impartially about whether the law ought to be restricted or extended. Given the major increase in the number of abortions that have taken place since the legislation was introduced, there is a very strong case to be made for modifications of the law, for example, in the direction of precautionary pain relief for late-term abortion situations and indeed promoting alternatives to abortion.

There is no evidence that the Government has any respect for that point of view. From what was said at the committee this morning there is no evidence that it has any interest in having a genuinely independent chair. That is a disgrace and people need to raise their voices about it.

On another human rights matter, the United States and Australia are now calling for a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. I know that our Minister will not be present, but our Government needs to be much stronger in coming out in favour of a full diplomatic boycott. That means no officials from our State turning up. It also means that the Olympic Federation of Ireland should not be represented. I do not want to deny the small number of athletes we have their chance to compete for Olympic glory, but in the circumstances they should not do so under an Irish flag. What is the Government's position? Normally, it is happy to follow the lead of a Democratic Administration in the United States. America is leading the way on this one; will Ireland follow? Along with other Senators I wrote to the chair of the Olympic Federation of Ireland last year expressing our concern. We did not even get a response from the then chair, Sarah Keane. Will the Government show any interest in pursuing the matter further?

The Service Central des Courses et Jeux, which is the branch of the police in France that deals with cheating and abuses in racing and competition, recently arrested several racehorse trainers and vets. Does anything like that ever happen in Ireland? The Cathaoirleach introduced a very interesting initiative to allow the Chairs of committees to appear before this House. I ask that the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and Marine, Deputy Cahill, would appear before us to discuss that committee's recently completed report into horse racing in Ireland. It raises issues about the need for protocols to prevent doping in horse racing but also issues about the governance of the very body responsible for integrity in the sport, the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board.

I am conscious that I have gone over time and I thank you for allowing me, a Chathaoirligh.