Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to take up time. We have seen a filibuster here before us and we know exactly what is playing out in the Chamber. I wish to welcome those from Together for Safety who are present and have done an enormous amount of work in getting this Bill as far as they have. I ask the Minister to share the legal advice he referred to, which he said in October he had and about which he spoke again today. The people who drafted this Bill are legal people. They ask that he share this advice. They are prepared to work with the Minister on this Bill but he must share what he believes are the stumbling blocks. He cannot continue to hide behind that argument and not allow those who are trying to help him to do so. Will the Minister share that legal advice with Together for Safety and the people who have help craft this Bill?

I cannot but mention Senator Mullen's comments. He continuously comes into the Chamber and talks about having respect for the people who voted "No" in the repeal the eighth amendment referendum. He is right. Absolutely everybody has a right to their democratic vote and to be respected for that vote. However, he is not listening to what the women who are trying to access healthcare are telling him. We recently had a debate in this Chamber about violence against women. We all talked about how women's voices need to be listened to. People need to listen to the experiences of women. Women are telling us they are intimidated and frightened, and there is a chilling factor in accessing healthcare. Senator Mullen is entitled to his opinion on this - that is absolutely fine - but I am asking him to open his ears and to listen to what women are telling him. They feel intimidated.

Senator Mullen can refer to those involved as decent people, mainly older people, or say they are reflecting in quiet prayer. He can say all of that. It does not matter what they are doing. The reality is that the feeling of the person they are doing it to is one of intimidation. I ask Senator Mullen to reflect on that and to listen to what those experiencing it are telling him. That is all I ask him to do. I fully support him in saying we have to respect people's different views, but when women are telling him they are being intimidated, he must listen to the voices of the women who are being intimidated.