Yesterday saw the defeat of the Bill proposed by Deputy Clare Daly on fatal foetal abnormalities. I found the defeat distasteful and shameful. I remember when the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill was debated in this House that I voted in favour of an amendment to include families and women affected by fatal foetal abnormalities-----

That Bill was never debated in the House. It was a Private Members' Bill in the Dáil.

The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill was debated in the House and an amendment was tabled to it to cover fatal foetal abnormalities.

The Bill proposed by Deputy Clare Daly was not debated in this House.

Senator Jillian van Turnhout proposed the amendment and I voted in favour of it. I wish Deputy Anne Ferris the very best. She stood by her principles and the longstanding principles of the Labour Party.

That is a matter for the Dáil.

It has brought the rigid Whip system in the Oireachtas into focus.

That has nothing to do with this House. The Order of Business is about the business ordered for the day.

This issue certainly affects the business of the House. It has also brought into focus the issue of the advice of the Attorney General.

We are not discussing the advice of the Attorney General. I have ruled on that matter.

According to various media sources, yesterday and this morning, the Attorney General's advice was divulged and spoken about at a Labour Party Parliamentary Party meeting. While I understand from media sources that leaks from the Labour Party Parliamentary Party rooms are not always the most reliable or the most credible-----

Does the Senator have a question? What goes on at parliamentary party meetings has nothing to do with the Seanad.

Is it true that the advice of the Attorney General was debated and discussed at a meeting of the Labour Party-----

What does that have to do with this House?

It is necessary to discuss the issue because the advice of the Attorney General-----

That is a matter for the Labour Party.

It was given to the Cabinet to show that the legislation was unconstitutional. The recommendation was debated by the Labour Party and not divulged to any other parliamentarian, which is utterly wrong.

This is not relevant to the Order of Business.