Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 6, lines 10 and 11, to delete “within 100 metres of an entrance to either House of the Oireachtas”.

I welcome the Minister back. I want to reiterate, for the avoidance of doubt and given that this is an issue that can be contentious - as I said earlier on, it is a life-and-death issue - that though I have the harshest of criticism for the Government and for the Minister in the conduct of his duties and responsibilities in this area, none of it is directed personally. Sometimes it is necessary to say hard things, especially in a democracy, and especially when you think that people are wilfully engaging in a fundamental violation of authentic human rights. It is not personal but strong things have to be said in order to point out the injustices of what is going on here.

The two main injustices are that we are talking about a background context of legislation that operates with State support and funding, and the full apparatus and power of the State, backed up behind processes to terminate innocent children's lives. That matters, and it matters to an awful lot of people in this country. We cannot just treat this like it is a debate about water charges - or whatever issue - as important as that is. This is serious stuff that we all have to engage our brains, hearts and minds in. I have never denied that there are people of good will who sincerely differ from me and others on this issue.

It is possible to respect another human being while having no respect for the point of view that they are espousing. It is a hard saying but it is necessary because if something is really and truly unjust and wrong, you cannot mix up the issue of respect for the person and conflate that with respect for what they are saying and doing. There is a moment to show contempt, outrage, horror and disgust. Killing unborn children is one of those moments for an awful lot of people in this society. Those people are people, to my knowledge and in my long experience of advocacy around this issue, who care deeply about the welfare of both mothers and their unborn children. If anybody thought that this issue was going to go away in 2018, when repeal happened-----