The Taoiseach and the Minister for Health should not be subjected to the kind of abuse planned by the "appalling" Mother and Child anti-abortion group, Dr Maurice Manning, Fine Gael leader in the House, stressed.
The group, better known as Youth Defence, had stated its intention to launch a poster campaign personalising the abortion issue around Mr Ahern and Mr Martin, he added. So far, the abortion debate had been about the principle involved, and there was no place in Irish politics for the sort of personalised nastiness which the group intended to introduce.
He asked if there was any point in going ahead with the proposed constitutional amendment, given that the deputy leader of the House, Mr John Dardis (PD) and the Tβnaiste did not think there should be a referendum.
The leader of the House, Mr Cassidy, said he would pass the comments on to the relevant minister. "I think it's time that we called into question the standards in public notices. Surely there have to be standards that have to be adhered to."
Opposition pressure finally led to agreement that Dr Mary Henry (Ind) should be given leave to introduce her Bill to amend the Mental Health Act, 2001.
Dr Henry had been supported by Fine Gael and Labour in her endeavours to have the Bill printed, a procedure which formally places it on the House's schedule of business.
The Bill would require the operation by April 7th next of provisions of the Act. Earlier efforts in recent weeks to have it moved failed to get Government backing. When the latest effort proved successful yesterday, Dr Henry thanked the leader of the House, Mr Cassidy, for his co-operation.
"I would like to point out to the House that the deficiencies in the healthcare of mentally ill and mentally handicapped people, reported in the press and on TV, in the Southern Health Board area, shows how important it is that we bring forward this legislation as rapidly as possible."