Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I did not make a point during this debate at all today. I have listened to Senator Mullen speak again about how it is a crime for women in our country to seek safe access to having an abortion. I come from a very religious family and I am very religious myself, but the women of Ireland and Ireland as a whole spoke in 2018. We voted to repeal the eighth amendment. In this country, and as a legislator myself, in terms of what we are doing here, we should not be made to feel crap because we want to support women to have safe access to a termination. We should not have to be made to feel bad about that as women in these Chambers. I remind Senator Mullen that the people of Ireland voted to repeal the eighth amendment and also that it is not a crime for a woman in this country to seek abortion if she needs or wants to do so.

I do not mean to be smart or disrespectful by saying this, but if the granny does not need an abortion and it is nothing to do with her, she should move along and mind her own business. I do not say that in a bad way or anything, but that is just the truth of it. I do not mean to undermine Senator Mullen, but if a woman does not want an abortion, she should not have to get one. If she does not want it, she should not get it but in 2022, we should not look on it as being a crime.