Symphysiotomy legislation ‘not flawed’

Sinn Féin has rejected claims by Minister for Health James Reilly that legislation to allow women who suffered symphysiotomies during childbirth to seek redress in the courts was seriously flawed.

During a Private Members’ Dáil debate the Minister accepted the legislation introduced by Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin but said that it might not achieve what was intended.

Mr Ó Caoláin told the House on the second night of the debate on his Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill that the legislation was not flawed.

He said the Minister did not identify the flaws or spell them out. He said “some of the finest legal minds in this State” had checked over the Bill’s construction.

"It is not that this Bill is flawed. It is the absence of political will to accommodate the wishes of the greater number of the survivors."

Entitled
In his concluding speech over the two-night debate, as women who suffered the controversial childbirth procedure and their families filled the visitors' gallery, the Cavan-Monaghan TD said the list of services put in place for the women included "very little that the vast majority of the women are not already entitled to".

“They are almost all in their 70s and 80s and Ellen O’Brien was here last night and she is 91. They are entitled to their medical cards anyway.”