Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have to listen to Senator Mullen's points. I get what he is saying 100% and I agree with him. Senator Doherty's suggestion is good. It is for everyone to start thinking about if we are making those advance healthcare directives and that is a choice that we would have to stipulate and discuss. As Senator Mullen stated, there cannot be differentiation if there is not a directive there. We have in our law that the life of a child, of a baby, after 12 weeks is different to the life of a baby prior to that. We have that in law and it is for valid reasons. We must look at that and I would appreciate it were the Department to go back and discuss that before we return on Report Stage, in order that all of this ambiguity is picked up because this is a very important issue.