Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I completely accept the position that he is coming from. I recognise it and I respect it.I am coming from a different philosophical perspective, so we differ on that, but I respect the place Senator Mullen is coming from. Speaking as a person who has experienced these life events, though, and notwithstanding any human rights or philosophical concern the Senator has, this is not the place, the space or the environment. No woman or man should be confronted with this situation. I think of the French laws around laïcitéand having a laicised space in civil society. There should be places in our public space that are free of religious iconography and rules, be those belonging to Islam, Judaism or Christianity. The civil space would be a laicised space under laïcité. I agree with that in principle, specifically as it applies to this matter. In the same way we would ask people not to protest at accommodation that has been designated for people seeking international protection, people with protests and concerns should bring them to Leinster House. This is the appropriate place. Safe spaces and safe zones are essential. I just wanted to put my concerns and how they flowed from lived or personal experience on the record.

Many of the people in question who are seeking the services of medical practitioners, including GPs in their local communities, are in extremisand at a particularly vulnerable point in their lives. This can be the case for many reasons. Healthcare is messy and not easy. In particular, gynaecological-obstetric maternity healthcare is a very dynamic area and people attend it for all sorts of reason. My fear is that someone who is at that point of vulnerability might not seek the necessary medical attention if confronted by whoever it might be. In my local area, I regularly see a group standing outside a GP’s practice and being very performative, clearly signalling their displeasure with and objection to what is happening, which is the provision of healthcare. How are they to know what the situation is of any woman visiting that GP? I wish to put on the record my issue with this type of behaviour.

Rather than stating the matter in the negative, though, I will state it in the positive and say that we need safe zones, particularly as applied to this specific set of circumstances, notwithstanding all of the concerns Senator Mullen raised about freedom of expression and freedom of speech. I understand his arguments and accept where he is coming from. I just do not agree with him.

I thank the Chair for allowing me to speak.