Gilmore criticises Walsh comments on abortion bill
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has described comments by Fianna Fáil senator Jim Walsh during the Seanad abortion debate yesterday as "inappropriate" and "over the top".
Mr Gilmore says he was disappointed by the language used in the debate, during which Senator Walsh gave graphic accounts of abortion.
The senator is against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill which is currently completing its passage through the Seanad - his comments yesterday prompted one senator, Ivana Bacik, to walk out; whilst Senator Marie Louise O'Donnell described his contribution as "oral porn".
The Tánaiste says he was very disappointed by the language used.
"Irrespective of the opinions and points of view that people have on the issue, I think that by and lare it has been expressed in a restrained and reasonable way," he said.
"I think that language that Senator Walsh used yesterday was inappropriate and over the top and I hope we don't hear much more of this language."
Meanwhile Social Protection Minister Joan Burton described as "venting" some of the debate on the abortion legislation in the Seanad yesterday.
Minister Burton said some commenting on the Bill need to "cop on".
"I think some of the men who are venting - and that's the only way I can describe some of the contributions - venting in terms of their view of women, who may be in a life or death situation in relation to pregnancy," she said.
"I'm quite sure those men - they have mothers, they have wives, they've daughters, they've sisters, they've women friends; I think they ought to actually cop themselves on."
