Martin backs proposed bill on abortion
He is to hold one-to-one meetings with members of his parliamentary party who have concerns about the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill in an effort to reach a consensus on supporting it in a Dáil vote.
But securing an agreed position “is going to be very difficult”, he said. “People have very genuine issues about this and some have said it was an issue of conscience for them.”
Mr Martin did not rule out allowing a free vote — something requested by some of his front bench — but said his preference is to reach an agreed party position.
“Without question this is an issue unlike most other issues that come before parliament — people have genuine issues and I respect that,” he said.
Some of the party’s most senior TDs, including finance spokesman Michael McGrath, and enterprise spokesman Dara Calleary, have reservations about the legislation because of the inclusion of suicide as legal grounds for a termination.
But Mr Martin said the bill “actually brings in a framework that is quite limiting and quite restrictive”.
He said: “One of the concerns was that it will lead to abortion on demand, I don’t think it will do that.”
He said the requirement that three experts assess whether a pregnant women is suicidal “actually limits what the current situation is” under the Supreme Court X-case ruling.
“The current legal position is that basically a woman can seek an abortion on suicidal grounds in any hospital — with one doctor making that assessment — with no requirements for psychiatric assessment whatsoever,” he said.
The Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill “provides a clear legal framework” which he said “in my view is fair, is drafted in good faith and is consistent with pro-life principles”.
This is the first time since the bill was published three weeks ago that Mr Martin has publicly stated whether or not he supports it.
Earlier this month the party held a meeting to decide its position, but following a four-hour discussion, 10 out of its 19 TDs would not agree to the leader’s request to support it.
They decided to come back to the issue — after the Oireachtas Health Committee held its hearings.
Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív is among those most vehemently opposed to the legislation. He is joined by Seamus Kirk, Michael Kitt, Sean Ó Fearghaíl, Brendan Smith, and John Browne. The party’s two youngest TDs, Charlie McConalogue and Robert Troy, also have reservations but are said to be more middle ground and likely to agree to the leader’s position.
Timmy Dooley, Niall Collins, Barry Cowen, Willie O’Dea, Sean Fleming, and Michael Moynihan believe the party should back the bill. John McGuinness, is said to be in the middle ground and likely to agree.
Of the party’s 14 senators, just five support the bill, including the only two female members of the parliamentary party, Averil Power and Mary White.
