Danny Healy-Rae Urges Pain Relief for Unborn Babies in Bill Debate
Danny Healy-Rae spoke in support of a baby pain relief bill, urging that any unborn baby with a heartbeat receive pain relief during abortion and rejecting a limit that would apply only to fetuses over 20 weeks. He called on the minister and the government to act, citing scientific evidence, medical practice and moral grounds.
Main argument
He described the bill as "critically, crucially important" and argued that every baby with a beating heart should not have to endure pain while being aborted. He rejected the idea that pain relief should be restricted to fetuses over 20 weeks, saying there is no difference between babies above or below that threshold.
Scientific and medical claims
He cited recent scientific evidence that, in his account, concludes unborn babies can feel pain as early as 12 weeks, "maybe sooner," and contrasted that with standard medical practice in which babies delivered to live birth are treated as patients and receive analgesia. He urged that medical interventions exist to numb or stop pain and should be used.
Legal comparison with animal welfare
He compared the proposed treatment of unborn babies to protections for animals, noting that the Animal Health and Welfare Bill of 2013 provides for veterinarians to administer pain relief during procedures. He used that comparison to argue for comparable compassion for unborn children.
Statistics and urgency
He quoted figures from the year after legislative change, saying 6,666 children were aborted, and framed the issue as urgent, noting his calculation of 18 abortions daily, 126 weekly and over 6,000 annually. He criticised an amendment that would delay or limit the measure as undermining compassion and wasting time.
Personal testimony and appeal
He appealed on a personal note, citing his five grandchildren and a newborn granddaughter named Bridie Healey Raye, saying thoughts of harm to children drove his plea. He called directly on the minister and the government to show humanity and to ensure pain relief is administered to any unborn baby with a heartbeat.
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I am glad to get the opportunity to talk on this very important bill here today. This baby pain relief bill is critically, crucially important to ensure that any baby with a heartbeat does not have to endure pain or feel pain while being aborted, or while they are being killed and denying them the right to make their way into this world. Indeed, there are several other pressing problems and issues that we should be highlighting on behalf of communities that are left down and under constant attack by the three government parties, people needing medical interventions, farmers, haulers, working class people whose incomes are diminishing on a daily basis, and people who can't even go to work because of COVID. But if we are to be worth our salt here, in this dark day, we have to stand up for those who can't defend themselves, and those who can't talk up for themselves. We have to stand up at this Christmas time, the time of peace and goodwill, stand up for these defenseless babies, God's creatures who can't defend themselves. They have done nothing wrong to anyone. They were conceived naturally, like every one of us, but they are not to be allowed to live, and to top it all, they have to endure pain while they are being discarded from this life, and being hurt in the process of ending their little lives. I am calling you minister and the government to ensure that everything possible is done to ensure that pain relief is administered to each baby that has a beating heartbeat. I do not subscribe to the notion that it should be only those babies over 20 weeks gestation. Every baby with a beating heart should not have to feel pain. There is nothing different between a baby over 20 weeks or the baby under it. They are all human beings to me anyway, and God created them, and their life to me anyway, and they shouldn't be discounted like this. This has been asked for since the abortion was legalized, but there has been a refusal to extend the muscle of compassion to these babies as they breathe their last breath in this world. This is the most forceful and condemning evidence that we are losing our impity and our way as a society. Recent scientific evidence concludes that unborn babies feel pain as early as 12 weeks, maybe sooner, and to ignore this minister is reckless. Indeed, born babies that are to be born in a natural way and are going to be allowed to live in the normal way are looked on by baby surgeons as their patients, and they are administered pain relief medication as standard medical practice. So they are administered. There is medical interventions to stop the pain and to numb the pain. Pain relief for animals is provided for in primary legislation and properly so. The Animal Health and Welfare Bill of 2013 provides that veterinarians administer pain relief during any procedures or interventions that would cause pain to the animal. Surely we must ensure that unborn babies with a heartbeat are dealt with in a compassionate way and give them pain relief. If there is any humanity in the government, I am asking them, why are they putting down an amendment to a bill that is as harmless as this? Is it just because they want to oppose what only people that want to stop children, little babies, of having pain in this way? It is such a small thing to ask. We should be asking that we left leave, but at this stage, no, because of the abortion laws that were passed and changed. This is all we can ask for and we are asking from our hearts out that he adhere to what we are asking. And please help little babies that have done nothing wrong to anyone in this world. If he does not help these, I can see that he will help anyone at all that he is supposed to be helping while he is in government. 6,666 children were aborted in the first year after the legislation was changed. This, I say to you Minister, these little children are an awful loss to our country and to our community. I have the pleasure of having a young granddaughter, Bridie Healey Raye, five weeks ago, and to think that anything or anyone would harm her or cause her pain to drive me down to the ground, Minister. And I have five grandchildren and I adore each and every one of them. We need to do more to help mothers and fathers, indeed, to ensure that there is another way. And we are not doing that, Minister. Many here inside were held bent on ensuring that the abortion will win true. That was their right and the people that voted for it, that was their right. But that does not say that I should say that it is right. I think that these children could be, if they grew up, and they do grow up, Minister, and they do not belong becoming men and women, and there would have been a massive asset to this country. And you are saying to delay this by your amendment. I want to remind you that 18 babies are being aborted daily, so they are going to suffer pain. 126 weekly and up to over 6,000 in a year. Surely, Minister, we should not be wasting time. Is there humanity in you or in your government? If there is, now is your time to stand up and do what we are asking, just to administer pain relief in the course of these abortions where we are ending little babies' lives. Thank you very much.
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