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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD moves symphysiotomy survivors bill

214 views · Published 17 April 2013 · 10:39 · Indexed 8 November 2026

Channel: Sinn Féin · 2013 · News & Politics

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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD moves symphysiotomy survivors Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill 2013. Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health and Children, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD, has moved an Amendment Bill in the Dáil that would allow survivors of symphysiotomy seek legal redress for the injuries they suffered during what is described as a "barbaric act" in Irish hospitals when they were giving birth to their children.  Deputy Ó Caoláin expressed his hope that the Bill would be supported by all members of the Dáil.

He said, "The Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill is brought forward in a non-partisan, non-party political way. It arises directly from the work of the All-Party Oireachtas Support Group for Victims of Symphysiotiomy which has cross-party and non-party support and participation.

"When I published this Bill last week I acknowledged the significant and sincere contribution of TDs and Senators of all parties and Independents in support of the campaign of the victims of symphysiotomy for justice over recent years. We have worked hard and well together and it is my earnest hope that we will see this critically important piece of legislation safely across the line to be fine-tuned, as required, by Government in the Committee, Report and final stages of its passage."

Deputy Ó Caoláin went on to say, "The overwhelming majority of those subjected to symphysiotomy or pubiotomy were young women having their first child and whose knowledge of childbirth was extremely limited.

"Many did not realise that the injuries they suffered were other than the normal effects of childbirth. Nor did they understand, for many years, and in most cases decades later, that these horrendous consequences were the result of childbirth operations that had been performed on them without their knowledge or consent.

"These were, in effect, clandestine operations, which were concealed from them by sections of the medical profession."

He said, "The Bill before us is necessary because the bar created by the Statute of Limitations sets a time limit of two years in initiating actions in personal injury cases. While in other jurisdictions judges retain inherent jurisdiction to allow cases to proceed where justice demands, Irish legislation provides no discretion whatsoever to the courts in determining whether cases may advance."

Appealing for cross-party support for the Bill he said, "This outstanding issue of truth and justice for women who were mutilated in the Irish hospital system is just as grave as the scandal of institutional child sexual abuse or the ordeal of women in Magdalene laundries. In all of those cases the injuries and wrongs done to the women and children concerned was compounded by concealment, lies, denials, decades of silence from the State and then inaction or long delayed action or inadequate action by the State when the reality was exposed.

"What was, in effect, a conspiracy of powerful and unaccountable men in the medical profession made the barbaric practice of symphysiotomy possible in Irish hospitals, with no protection for the women concerned from the health system or from any other arm of Government. They were simply abandoned to their fate.

"Let us not compound these crimes-- for crimes they were -- by further neglect in this Dáil."

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