Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 4, line 15, after “person” to insert “or a series of persons”.

I will briefly comment on amendment No. 2. I supported it but again it was an example of the question about pharmacies and the question about students' unions. Those concerns no longer stand now that the amendment has been agreed because it is very clear that it is only the prescribing, so it is only around medical practices and not around places for example where contraception is available or sold. That is an example of how a concern can be addressed and has been addressed.

I am a little concerned. The Minister talks about the quickest way but I am not sure what he is outlining is the quickest route. I would prefer if the Joint Committee on Health was just looking at pre-legislative scrutiny. Why not a heads of Bill? We at least know the policy thrust that we want. However, there is the idea that the Joint Committee on Health would have to have a pre-stage, then a pre-legislative scrutiny stage, and then it will have its chance when there is legislation to amend it appropriately as a committee. It seems to me that we have a Bill, which is a discussion point. I will be delighted if Government legislation comes in quickly and outflanks that but I am concerned at delays.

The Minister talked about the fact that it was not dealt with in the last Oireachtas. We might end up with a scenario where we do not deal with it in this Oireachtas, or even in this term. We had hoped to see Government legislation by March. I certainly do not think we should be starting a conversation about the possibility of legislation in March. We need to be in a conversation that is hard and is about legislation. It needs to be specific. We should be having legislation, be it our legislation - the Minister can hear the support that is in the House from many Members for it - or be it Government legislation. We should not be going into the summer and into another two- or three-month period where women cannot access the services without facing that situation. Let us be clear, we place a very tight constraint on those who are seeking to access abortion. They face that 12-week constraint. Many people will be affected and continue to be affected. Older people were mentioned. I worked with older people in a previous job for many years. Many older people are very keen for this to be done too. Many older women in particular in Ireland suffered under the previous systems and regimes. They want to know that the full change to an Ireland which actually supports women has fully happened and this is part of that.

My amendments were around "a series of persons" - as a "person", "or a series of persons". I have that concern around when one has intimidatory and harassment activity, if it is happening, maybe not to the same person multiple times but to a series of people. I have actually had engagement. As an example of that engagement with the lawyers and the legal advice of those who put the Bill together, they have assured me that the "person", singular here, will have relevant effect in terms of the person plural, so in that context I do not need to press my amendment. I have been satisfied with the legal response. It is yet another example, like amendment No. 2, of the fact that we can tease these issues out. We can work together. Let us work together inside a frame of legislation rather than moving the issue outside legislation to another general topic discussion. It has to be within a legislative frame.