Committee chair: ‘No hurtful questions’

THE chair of an Oireachtas committee on international surrogacy has warned TDs and senators against ‘hurtful’ questioning following a string of rows.

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has urged members against asking questions of witnesses invited into meetings that could cause upset, and told politicians she would not put up with ‘name-calling or religious references’ among members. Her speech came after Independent senator Sharon Keogan was asked to leave a meeting of the committee last week following a heated spat with fellow member Lynn Ruane.

The row erupted after Ms Keogan said she didn’t believe it was ‘everyone’s right to have a child’ after several parents whose children were born through surrogacy told their stories to the committee.

Independent senator Ms Ruane accused Ms Keogan of ‘outright opposing’ the topic of international surrogacy because of her ‘personal bigotry’, which Ms Keogan rejected. Ms Ruane also told Ms Keogan she should ‘check her Christian values’.

Sinn Féin TD Kathleen Funchion, who was acting as chairperson, later moved to ask Ms Keogan to leave the session after the latter referred to matters discussed by the committee in private meetings.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting,

Ms Whitmore told members they had ‘responsibility to deal with this issue in a respectful manner’.

‘The issue of international surrogacy is a legally complex issue, it is a socially complex issue and it is an emotionally complex issue. There are many strongly held views about this topic and I do believe that each of us have much to learn about the issue in general,’ she said.

‘Our task as a committee is particularly challenging as we have only three months in which to complete it.’

Ms Whitmore continued: ‘I would ask members to be mindful of the fact that many of the witnesses that we have invited in as a committee have been on very difficult and long journeys to get to this point.

‘I ask, therefore, that our manner of questioning be done in a respectful way and without causing hurt. I will also ask them, as members, that we treat each other with respect. I will not stand over name-calling or religious references in the chamber. I will also not allow, due to statutory prohibition, the discussion of matters in a public forum that arose from private meetings.’

The Irish Daily Mail understands that some witnesses at last week’s meeting were left visibly upset, prompting members to be emailed a document on protocol when speaking to witnesses.

Members also clashed during a private meeting of the committee on Wednesday, with Ms Keogan asking for apologies from Ms Funchion and Ms Ruane.