By Sarah Mac Donald - 11 July, 2013
TDs are to return to the Dáil this afternoon to continue debating the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill after the House was adjourned at 5am this morning.
Only 11 of the 165 amendments proposed have been disposed of. With over 100 more amendments still to be debated during the Report stage and no guillotine being applied, it is not certain that the debate will conclude today.
However, there appears to be little doubt that the Bill will be passed as a number of those who had expressed opposition to it appeared to be voting with the Government. These include John O’Mahony, Michelle Mulherin and John Paul Phelan.
Mayo TD, Michelle Mulherin explained her decision to support the legislation saying, “I am not going to allow myself to be booted out” of the party “so I am supporting this legislation.”
Carlow-Kilkenny TD John Paul Phelan said that he will vote in favour of the Bill because it is “a realistic solution” although he admitted to having some misgivings.
Minister of State Lucinda Creighton is expected to lose her ministerial post.
The suicide clause in the legislation, which allows an expectant mother to seek an abortion on the grounds that she is prepared to take her own life, has remained the most divisive dimension of the bill among politicians.
Minister of State Creighton has consistently indicated her dissatisfaction with this aspect of the Bill.
Yesterday in the Dáil she asked, “Why are we insisting that abortion which has no medical grounding is going to be enshrined in our statute book as the only treatment for women who find themselves in that desperate place.”
In her clearest signal yet that she will oppose the party whip, and that she is preparing to step down from her ministerial role, she added, “I really I am just lost for words because I cannot understand why this proposal is being insisted on by you and your government.”
She will be the fifth Fine Gael TD to be expelled over their opposition to the legislation. Last week, four Fine Gael TDs voted against the Government in the second round of voting.
The Government won the first two Dáil votes on amendments to the Bill. The first of these was on Amendment 8 which calls for the deletion of the suicide clause.
The second vote was on Amendment 10, which deals with fatal foetal abnormalities. It was defeated by 124 votes to 19.
Minister of State Frances Fitzgerald told RTE Radio’s Morning Ireland today that the Bill was “about saving women’s lives where there was a physical risk or a mental health risk.
Asked about the plight of Lucinda Creighton, Ms Fitzgerald said nobody had a monopoly on conscience and said Fine Gael had a party position on the proposed legislation.
Referring to legal advice the party had been given, she added, the 1992 Supreme Court judgement was the “law of the land” and its ruling had been validated by other cases such as the Baby O case.
Following the final vote by TDs, the bill will be considered by the Seanad. If there are no demands for further amendments from Senators, the legislation will passed to President Higgins to sign off on it.
The Government has said it expects the law to be enacted before the Dáil breaks for summer on 18 July.
On Wednesday, Archbishop Eamon Martin warned that if the Bill is passed “the deliberate and intentional killing of an unborn child” would be permissible.
Speaking RTE Radio’s Morning Ireland programme, he said he personally felt “a huge obligation to be speaking out against this”.
Last night pro-life supporters held a vigil outside the Dáil late into the night.
By Sarah Mac Donald
