Barry Ward

speaker

554 appearances 6 recordings 2 series first heard Apr 2026 last heard 7 Sep

Barry Ward’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.

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recordings per month · last 12 months

Recordings per month over the last 12 months — 6 in all, peaking in May 2026 with 2.

Appearances

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Today with David McCullagh · The Gathering · 19 Jun 2026 podcast

Well, as you know, there was a free vote on this.

I'd be worried, actually, if everybody still voted the same way.

The notion that there are different opinions within a large party like Fine Gael, I think is a good thing.

I did vote for it.

It doesn't mean that I am in favour of abortion or I think abortion is a good thing or anything like that.

But I do think, and we've all looked at this in the last number of years in detail, that

I do think it's the decision that has to be made by each individual.

And I think you have to trust women to have already thought about that decision very carefully and to allow them to make that decision rather than being paternalistic or having the state make that call for them.

Well, I wouldn't say that.

There's two things about that.

The first is there are reviews built into the legislation as well.

But first and foremost, the principle of democracy is that when you elect TDs, you elect people who make, you're delegating a decision-making function to them in relation to the law.

Now, I have voted completely consistently.

I voted, I supported the repeal of the 8th.

I have consistently said that I am pro-choice.

As I say, you know, this is a difficult issue.

And I think, you know, anybody finds himself in that position is in a very difficult position.

But I, when I say I'm pro-choice, what I say is I want to have confidence in that woman or...

or that couple to make that decision for themselves rather than having the state do it for them.

And that's why I think they should be allowed to do it.

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