Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This morning I wish to raise two outstanding pieces of legislation. As Senator Chambers pointed out, it is now four years after that momentous day when we repealed the eighth amendment of the Constitution, but we know that there is still a lack of provision, which affects in particular people living in rural areas, people with disabilities, the working class, migrants and people living in direct provision. The three-day waiting period is also an issue. Quite frankly, it is paternalistic nonsense. I am concerned that this House has passed the legislation on safe access zones, yet we still do not have any progress from the Minister for Health on the issue.

This morning a very worrying interview was carried out on the fact that not all maternity hospitals are offering abortion services. More damning is the fact that only one in ten GPs is signing up to provide abortion services. It is very concerning for one community where a GP has had to stop having any clinics whatsoever on a Saturday morning because of protests that were occurring on Saturdays. Now, not only are the women who are in need of healthcare for abortion services affected, but also the wider community cannot get access to their GP on a Saturday because some people think it is appropriate to protest outside a GP's office and prevent women from getting the healthcare access they need. We need safe access zones. If it is not Senator Gavan's legislation, which has been supported by many Members across this House, then the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, needs to act fast so that women are not prevented from accessing the healthcare to which they are entitled and that we fought hard to achieve.

The second piece of legislation that we are awaiting is my own Bill that was brought to the House in February on jury selection, in particular in connection with the Stardust inquest. We know that the coroner, Myra Cullinane, wants the inquest to proceed in September. These families have been waiting for decades for justice. She wants no further delays. We already had a judicial review in the High Court, which has delayed proceedings. It is essential that the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, brings forward legislative proposals and fulfils the commitment she gave to the families who were in this House. She said that she was aware that their concerns were warranted, that we must have independent selection of jurors and that their income must be protected in some way to allow them to sit for a number of months on jury service. We have a matter of weeks left before the summer recess. If the Minister does not bring the legislation before the two Houses before the summer recess, we will not be back here until late September, which means the inquest will not be able to proceed then, as the coroner wants it to. It is completely in the hands of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to prevent any further delays and hurt to the families of the Stardust fire.