Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will. That was just a passing comment. The parallels, in terms of how closed the Government is these days to voices of dissent on serious and important issues, will not be lost on people. This legislation is about crushing dissent.

The Minister talks about Ireland being the most progressive and advanced in the area of healthcare and women's healthcare. I would love for that to be the case, but what is progressive about killing a little child? Why is it acceptable to present abortion as healthcare simply because he has tied up public money in the provision of this dubious service, implicated medics and put doctors under pressure, direct or indirect, such that even if they object themselves, they must, under the law at the moment, be in some way involved in the treadmill of it by referring to others? Why was there that desire to stitch it up so that as many people as possible are implicated in this? Will the Minister read serious, objective and credible reports rather than unverified reports from, shall we say, unscrutinised lobby groups that do not always tell the truth, do not have objective evidence to back up their case and seek to crush dissent on abortion in any way they can? Can the Minister give us evidence of attempts to coerce? It is a hell of an accusation for a Minister of the Government to make. If this was any other Minister talking about another issue involving reports of coercion and people being obstructed - I do not know if the Minister used the word "intimidated" today - we would have chapter and verse. We would be told the Garda expressed a worry, as did the HSE and the Medical Council. The big claim would be backed up by evidence from credible sources. I look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say, although his practice up to now has been to disregard questions and objections and not to answer the substance. If he departs from that practice today, I will be grateful for that much at least.

I do not see a reference to higher education authorities in the Bill. I see a vague promise that, to quote The Beatles, "We can work it out." That is not good enough in legislation going before these Houses. The Minister needs to think more carefully about how important freedom of speech is in our country, especially on university campuses. This is an issue to which we will have to return on Report Stage if the Minister does not do so. That is all I have to say. I regret the Government's direction of travel but I at least hope to hear some facts from the Minister in the next few minutes.