Inching towards Oireachtas approval

It is as if the cabinet lobbed the abortion issue into the committee and ran for cover as havoc ensued, writes Michael Clifford.

THREE days of hearings represents two steps forward for Enda Kenny, and perhaps one step back. The Oireachtas health committee hearings into the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill concluded yesterday after more than 30 hours of hearings since last Friday. Now, it’s onward ho to the full parliament and debate, with the bill making the hard inches towards Oireachtas approval, possibly before the Summer break.

In reality, these hearings were designed by Kenny and his honchos as a political exercise to soften up the Fine Gael parliamentarians who are opposed to the bill, and particularly the suicide provision therein.