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Dáil rejects SF motion demanding immediate legislation on X case

By Aoife Barry
Image: Gavan Reilly/TheJournal.ie
21/11/12 7,900 Views 67 Comments

THE DÁIL HAVE rejected a Sinn Féin motion that would have required the government to legislate for the X Case.

Dail members voted twice tonight: Once on removing the demand for legislation for the X Case from Sinn Féin’s motion. This was approved 88 – 53. They voted a second time on ratifying the amended version, which was approved 90-53.

The original motion called on the Government to immediately publish the report of the expert group and immediately introduce legislation to give effect to the 1992 judgment of the Supreme Court in the ‘X Case’, to protect pregnant women where their lives are in real danger and to give legal certainty to medical professionals”.

The TDs voted to remove the part of the motion calling for the introduction of legislation for the X Case. They then approved the amended motion without the mention of this legislation.

vote (govt amend)

The results of the first vote. (Gavan Reilly/TheJournal.ie)

Over the past two nights, Dáil members discussed their thoughts on legislating for the X Case.

Tonight, Sinn Féin’s TD for Laois/Offaly Brian Stanley TD said:

“The eyes of the world are on Ireland, particularly on the legislators here tonight. We are having a debate and a vote that should have taken place twenty years ago. Consecutive governments have failed to legislate. The Taoiseach can no longer hide behind reports and enquiries. The government must legislate as a matter of urgency. Women of Ireland deserve no less form their government.

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien said he was pro-life, but that he would set aside his own personal views as he had to face up to his own responsibilities as a legislator.

Fine Gael Deputy Michelle Mulherin said what happens now is to focus on the report of the expert group, which she urged the minister to have published as soon as possible.

ULA TD Clare Daly said that changes had been made to the abortion legislation which she tabled, and which was rejected in April, and that it will be tabled again next week. “Presumably this time you won’t have a problem supporting it,” she said of the legislation.

The Labour party noted that they were the only party to have legislating for the X Case in their manifesto.

The report of the expert group on abortion is expected to be published on Tuesday.

Read: X Case Dáil debate told: ‘Protecting lives of pregnant women the only civilised choice’>

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Comments (34 Comments)

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  • norman hunter 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Said it yesterday this motion would be voted down.The government has proved its quite happy to play politics with the health of women.

    Reply

  • Patrick Kennedy 21/11/12 Report this comment

    this debate was on last night?? in a half empty chamber so how can members vote on a motion they never heard??
    its also shocking they voted to change the wording so much for labour saying they wanted this sorted out as quickly as possible

    Reply

  • Jane O'Sullivan 21/11/12 Report this comment

    There’s a carpet, there’s a brush….. Start sweeping.

    Reply

  • Tómas Ó Mathúna 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Can Labour stop pretending to support legislation for the X case now?

    Reply

    • Gerri McCaffery 21/11/12 Report this comment

      Labour are the only ones who have been consistent in calling for legislation but they want it done right. They said it before the election not like Doherty who said he would not vote for legislation then jumped on the band wagon when it suits him.

    • Kerry Blake 21/11/12 Report this comment

      18 months in government Gerri and no sign of their promised legislation but they have voted down motions to provide legislation twice and will next week vote it down again when Daly reintroduces her motion during private members time. Me I suspect labour are all talk and nothing else. A bit like Gilmore and his Frankfurt’s way or labours way. All sound bite and no substance. Hopefully come the next election they will experience a massive loss of seats.

    • Jimbo Murphy 22/11/12 Report this comment

      Key word “calling” for legislation. They are in government now, they should be doing more than calling for legislation. A woman has now died because of Labour’s inaction. I’ve voted for Labour in the past. Never again.

    • Lorna Sheerin 22/11/12 Report this comment

      Well said ! Second time for Labour to vote down for this legislation.

    • Chris Kubik 22/11/12 Report this comment

      Not to mention the number of local cases that have not even made it to national news.

  • Frank2521 21/11/12 Report this comment

    They used to kick the can down the road – now they are kicking women down the road. I hope the female TDs walk out at the nearest opportunity.

    Reply

  • Ray Toomey 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Bunch of gutless cowards and gombeens running this country what a disgrace.

    Reply

  • PaddyLanger 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Absolute disgrace! I worked in the dail for a few months a while years ago ( not a politician or civil servant). Anytime there was protests outside you could hear it in the corridors.

    The politicians just kept on walking and laughing. They pretended nothing was happening.

    The party whip system has to go. its held back this country for years. If people cant vote with their conscience then they are lying to themselves and to us and doing it in full view of the Irish people.

    Reply

  • Rónán O'Suilleabháin 21/11/12 Report this comment

    The single most cynical act I’ve ever heard of in the Dail. Not even the balls to vote on the motion as it stood

    Reply

  • Kerry Blake 21/11/12 Report this comment

    “The Labour party noted that they were the only party to have legislating for the X Case in their manifesto.”

    The labour party voted no. Shame on them, shame on each and every one of those TD’s in the labour party.

    Reply

  • Siobhan 21/11/12 Report this comment

    the labour party an absolute disgrace. have ye to wait another 20 years for legislation

    Reply

  • David 21/11/12 Report this comment

    The result of that vote is not representative of the wishes of the people. If the members of the Dail cannot/will not represent the people then I want an election to elect people who will listen.

    Reply

  • Kellyanne Ross 21/11/12 Report this comment

    i dunno playing party politics with womens wombs nice one goverment

    Reply

  • Scrap Croke Park1 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Omnishambles

    Reply

  • Colin Deane 21/11/12 Report this comment

    tits on fish

    Reply

  • Caroline Locke 22/11/12 Report this comment

    Of course the Dail will reject any SF motion.Terrorists !!!(sarcasm meant big time)

    Reply

  • John McFadden 21/11/12 Report this comment

    People are shocked that this happened!! The government are lying spineless bastards

    Reply

  • siobhan o mahony 21/11/12 Report this comment

    What a joke of a government!!!!!!!

    Reply

    • Garry Fitzgerald 21/11/12 Report this comment

      Larry
      Ectopic pregnancies are an immediate and serious threat to the life of a mother. In every single hospital in the Irish State such a pregnancy is immediately terminated and such clinical practice is opposed by no on while also being perfectly legal while also being in accord with Canon law. Strange isn’t it?

  • Ray Kinsella 21/11/12 Report this comment

    These cowards represent you and me.. Did you hear Gilmore and his stern voice about ‘doing something’ … doing what your told, gutless b******s

    Reply

  • Louise Coffey 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Disgusting. Bunch of cowards. Hang your heads in shame.

    Reply

  • Les Rock 21/11/12 Report this comment

    We need a list of who voted this down. Then we should picket and camp outside their constituency offices and homes.

    Reply

  • Daisy Chainsaw 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Disgusting stroke politics. Will never vote Labour again.

    Reply

  • Steve Herron 22/11/12 Report this comment

    It is a sad day for Ireland when a party with the history of Sinn Fein are the voice of reason in the dail.

    Whatever their motivation it was the right thing and I applaud their actions in this matter.

    Labour definitively proved they aren’t left or right wing, not conservative or liberal. They are simply in love with power. Shame on them.

    Reply

  • Stephen Church 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Anyone who puts money in a collection plate until this is legislated is to blame, vote with your wallet , the money speaks louder than anything , stop funding the churches strangle hold on these politicians.

    Reply

  • mart_n 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Democracy folks

    Reply

    • Larry bird 21/11/12 Report this comment

      My wife had an ectopic pregnancy last yr. She needed emergency surgery to terminate the life of the foetus. The staff did a wonderful job. We hadn’t even heard about ectopics before so we asked for some info after the surgery. The staff recommended we read a book called Dealing with Miscarriage. They have no info on ectopic because technically it’s a grey area. Most of the info given was not relevant to our situation. Something has to be done.

    • rodrigo detriano 22/11/12 Report this comment

      KIP folks! Run by a gang that will do anything it has to, if it means retaining power and wealth!

  • Eileen Gabbett 21/11/12 Report this comment

    Shower of gutless cowardly morons. Michelle Mulherrin said it all when she said that we should park our emotions…. Well I for one will not . This has to change .Irish women are having abortions every day of the week…in England. It is a hypocritical fact of life and the sooner women are looked after here in our country the better.
    Michelle Mulherri may be a cold unemotional excuse of a human being who comes out against her gender at every hands turn and should really shut her mouth til she knows what she is talking about.

    Reply

    • Michael 22/11/12 Report this comment

      You’ll have to amend our constitution first.

      Since when has emotional moments ever been a good time to make critical decisions?

    • Eileen Gabbett 22/11/12 Report this comment

      Michael
      You are of course correct .
      Revenge is best served cold .
      And when Kenny continues to
      make a fool of us and treat us
      like idiots , we should step back
      and serve him…

  • Ben Gunn 21/11/12 Report this comment

    The eyes of the world on Ireland? Yeah, right, ok.

    Reply

  • Séamus White 21/11/12 Report this comment

    People are being naive in the extreme if they think Sinn Féin’s motion was not politically motivated. They fall over themselves to stress their “pro-life” credentials while avoiding even using the word abortion while calling belatedly for X case legislation.

    Reply

    • Gerri McCaffery 21/11/12 Report this comment

      At last, some sense!

    • Joseph Colclough 21/11/12 Report this comment

      I don’t think so, especially seen as they were the only party back in April to vote for Clare Daly’s legislation on abortion be it in limited circumstances while Fine Gael & Labour did the same as they did tonight

    • Kerry Blake 21/11/12 Report this comment

      And will do again next week when Daly’s motion is reintroduced as a private members motion.

    • Mark Moloney 22/11/12 Report this comment

      Séamus, Sinn Féin have had this position since the 1990s and they are very clear on the issue.

      They support legislation to comply with the Supreme Court ruling in the X Case. As for the “avoiding even using the word abortion”, did you listen to the debate tonight? If you had of, you’d had heard it used repeatedly.

  • Graham Crosbie 22/11/12 Report this comment

    Coward politicians and politicians playing to the public all the same parasites and wasters

    Reply

  • Red Ed 22/11/12 Report this comment

    they need red tape to make money the bastardos

    Reply

  • Glenn Fitzpatrick 22/11/12 Report this comment

    Don’t forget SF’s stance on this up North.

    Reply

    • Oisín Ó Dubhláin 22/11/12 Report this comment

      Which is? Oh you don’t actually know, do you? SF has the same stance which is for the publication ofthe guidelines before the Minister for Health Edwin Poots. SF do not oppose the situation which currently exists in the north where life saving terminations are available. SF were the only major party in Stormont not to join an anti-Marie Stopes group and the only party between SDLP and the unionists which support X case type provisions. We SF did oppose the extension of the UK’s 1967 Abortion Act but that is completely different from X case legislation adn SF never claimed to be a pro choice party.

  • Kelly Davis-Jordan 22/11/12 Report this comment

    I get the feeling that Labour will take the fall for this one, they certainly aren’t blameless in that they haven’t pushed for what they promised but FG are also in Government and should get their share of the blame. FF were in Government quite a lot over the last 20 years, refused to legislate and held a referendum to remove the threat of suicide as a case for abortion, they have amazing audacity and arrogance to question the present Government on legislation. SF always have some sort of agenda to try make themselves a more acceptable part of the political establishment they are anti choice in the North and apparently pro choice in the Republic, not very trustworthy.

    Reply

  • f molloy 22/11/12 Report this comment

    the shinners are parasites on the arse of politics. they are the most deceitful of creatures in the political spectrum. they justified murder in the past and continue to do so. I’m glad their motion was defeated. as for Gilmore… don’t start me

    Reply

  • Emily Elephant 22/11/12 Report this comment

    Will someone explain to me exactly why we need legislation on the X case? The Supreme Court’s ruling is the law. It doesn’t need any further legislation to make it the law.

    Ireland lost its case in the ECHR because of lack of practical provision for legal abortion, not for lack of legislation.

    Reply

    • Defiant Tree 23/11/12 Report this comment

      Because it’s not the law. Basically, the situation is that the constitution and the judgement both say “this is okay under these circumstances”, but there’s nothing that spells out exactly what the circumstances are. As I understand it, the rights/laws set out by the constitution are the “what”, and legislation deals with the details, the finer points, the “how” basically.

      And then, once we have that legislation, we’ll need the practical provisions, medical guidelines, etc. But first of all the doctors need to be sure that they’re acting within the law, which right now they can’t be. Does that make sense?

  • Kevin O'Sullivan 21/11/12 Report this comment

    I thought I read an article by theJournal saying there wouldn’t be a vote? :S

    Reply

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