So our views are not important?

I want to come back in on amendments Nos. 2 and 3. The right to prayer is in Bunreacht na hÉireann. The people of Ireland are being told that they do not have the right to pray outside designated premises of a service provider or healthcare professional who is involved or believed to be involved in the provision of termination of pregnancy services or contraceptive services, or a building in which they reside. The other day, there was a peaceful prayer gathering on Grafton Street. I believe it was outside a pharmac…

I second the amendment.

I move amendment No. 4: In page 5, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: "(8) Nothing in this section, section 4 , nor section 5 shall apply to an individual taking part in an organised march or rally which is ambulatory in nature and passes through a safe access zone as a matter of coincidence.".

According to the legislation, a demonstration relating to abortion or contraception cannot take place within a safe access zone, which is within 100 m of the entrance to or exit from a premises that offers abortion services or contraceptive services. In any urban area, planning a route for any such demonstration would virtually be impossible under this legislation. General practitioner clinics, pharmacies and even bars with vending machines selling condoms could have a 100 m zone surrounding their premises in which…

Vótáil.

I move amendment No. 5: In page 5, to delete lines 27 to 37, and in page 6, to delete lines 1 and 2.

Section 5 of the Bill empowers the Garda Síochána to direct individuals so as to prevent an offence under this Bill occurring and grants significant latitude in that regard. If the Bill is passed in its current form, gardaí will have full discretion to break up and end any assembly near a safe access zone, as they need only suspect that a person intends to stray into such a zone to clamp down. It will then be an offence for any person to fail to comply with a direction to leave a vicinity without reasonable cause. …

I move amendment No. 6: In page 6, to delete lines 3 to 6.

I am also opposing section 6, which would allow for civil proceedings to be taken against anyone who conducts any of the activities listed in sections 3 and 4. Most of the same points regarding the threat of legal action and law-abiding demonstrators being compelled to give up their rights to protest under duress also apply to section 6. The same level of caution the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, exercises before bringing cases to trial does not apply in civil cases. The fact that activities in relation to …

Could the Senator speak to the amendment?

I am disappointed to hear the Minister of State will not accept the amendment. Not only do some want to see protestors thrown into jail, they seem to want to get money out of them as well. It is an absolute disgrace this amendment will not be accepted. None of the amendments have been accepted today. I thank my staff, my colleagues for supporting me in tabling these amendments, and the people who worked hard behind the scenes to have these amendments tabled. I appreciate the work they do for me behind the scenes.

Vótáil.

Not agreed.

Vótáil.

Vótáil.

It is closing the debate down on a Thursday afternoon.

That is a very serious allegation.

To suggest that anybody in the Chamber is associated-----

I thank the Acting Chairperson and the Minister of State for being patient with my amendments. I thank my colleagues. It takes work as an Independent to table amendments. All of the arguments I have made today in favour of the amendments are valid. They certainly were not made to run down the clock. I take my work very seriously. My only issue is to protect the right to assembly, the right to protest and our right to prayer in public places. As long as there is breath in me I will defend these rights.