Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will conclude shortly but I was interrupted in an unfair way. Let us be honest; there are other Members of this House who have the same concerns that Senator Keogan and I have. We should all ask ourselves what it says about our democracy that only two Members would stand for any of these votes. Many of the Government politicians will canvass people and express private sympathy with their concerns about this. They will stand outside churches and canvass since Members are talking about religious people. Let us accept that it is more than two out of 60 as a percentage of our society who have a concern with this draconian legislation.

I was going to make the point that there was a time when people like the Clintons talked about abortion being safe, legal and rare. It is worth noting that such language is not allowed now. In the established view one is not allowed to suggest that abortions should be rare because that is somehow to admit that abortions are regrettable. That is how things have disimproved in our society as a measure of the extent to which the claims of the unborn for our care and attention should be allowed to be ventilated. I will conclude with that but I make no apologies for expressing my concern in detail about a Bill which reflects a fundamental denial of respect for human dignity. It is a shame on us all, I hope it does not pass the Dáil and I will be fairly confident that the Supreme Court will have no truck with it.