Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. The interventions from Senators Clonan and McGreehan were powerful and explained clearly that, as Senator McGreehan rightly said, we needed to create this safe space in order for people to breathe, clear their heads and come to terms with things. People go in and out of these facilities for many reasons – some of them joyous, some of them not so joyous, some of them tragic – but whatever the reason, people need to be able to breathe.

I will make an observation about our previous debate on this. I felt the use of language on both sides was over the top, not necessary and ill tempered. So far, that has not happened today. I call on all sides to ensure it does not. We are mature enough and respectful enough to be able to have engagements in the House respecting people’s viewpoints and without using ill-tempered and offensive language. That is important.

Senator Mullen raised an important point about the precincts of the Houses of the Oireachtas. It is a tricky one.We are in a democracy, thank God. When we see what is going on in other parts of the world, we have to value being in a democracy. That brings with it the right to protest, including at the national Parliament. It is a tricky one. Let us consider the scenario in which there was a healthcare facility within 100 m of Leinster House where people generally assemble to protest, usually on Molesworth Street. The Minister needs to take a look at that and respond appropriately. It is dangerous territory if people cannot protest around the precincts of Leinster House, or if a housing protest is allowed and suddenly a protest on issues to do with abortion is not allowed. I may not agree with the people protesting, as I often do not, whatever the issue is, although sometimes I do agree with them, but I respect the right to peaceful protest at the Houses of the Oireachtas.

That aside, I believe the legislation is necessary for the reasons eloquently articulated by my colleague, Senator Clonan, who has left, and other speakers. It is not appropriate to hassle people, even if only covertly, when they are accessing medical facilities that are legal in this country. People might not like the fact they are legal or agree with it, but the reality is they are legal. People access such facilities for a myriad of reasons, sometimes involving miscarriages, stillbirths and other difficult and tragic outcomes. They should be able to leave the facility and go to their car in comfort to deal with their grief without being prompted or seeing prompts. Whether people are praying privately, quietly, covertly or overtly, I do not believe that is appropriate. We need to create space. In France and other countries, there are parts of the civic space that are free from all religious activities, protests and so on, where people can go for tranquility and peace. That idea is worth looking at as part of a wider debate beyond this specific area of discussion.

This debate is not being guillotined. I welcome that and hope it continues to be the case. Each amendment deserves to be debated at length. You never know, an understanding might evolve and float to the top as to why the Government cannot accept amendments. At the same time, the amendment related to Leinster House needs to be addressed. I would be interested in hearing the Minister's observations on that matter because of its importance. Protest is important in this country. We are a democracy. It is essential and appropriate that people can voice concerns, articulate their views and make their feelings heard. That is the essence of democracy. Look at what is happening in Russia and the way the people who came out for the opposition leader's funeral were treated. It is a fine line. I value what we have. Our democracy might be one of the oldest in Europe but in the overall context of humanity it is not that old. It is just over 100 years old, which, viewed in the context of time immemorial, is not long at all. We see what is happening with Ukraine and Russia and the threat of what could happen in the United States. The next eight months will be critical. In my-----