Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last November, undercover investigators revealed the Irish Family Planning Association clinics, and other clinics that are overseen and funded by the HSE's crisis pregnancy programme, were involved in actively encouraging women in crisis pregnancies to mislead and lie to their doctors about their abortions if complications were to arise after the abortion procedure. The advice was described at the time as reckless and dangerous. Professor Sam Coulter Smith said when the investigation became public that he was aware of cases where women had died because they did not tell their doctors they had an abortion. It is disturbing that such poor advice would be given to Irish women in crisis pregnancies at a time when they are vulnerable and need appropriate advice more than ever.

The finding was just one of a number of disturbing findings revealed in the investigation. It also found the Irish Family Planning Association in particular was in breach of several provisions of the Abortion Information Act 1995. It appears this legislation was being breached on a wide scale. This reflected a high level of contempt for their health and well being, not to mention the law of the land.

Following on from this investigation, a so-called "independent inquiry" was established by the HSE and announced by Mr. Tony O'Brien, head of the HSE and former head of the Irish Family Planning Association. The inquiry was to be chaired by Ms Brigid McManus, a former Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science. Following a parliamentary question from Deputy Terence Flanagan, however, the answer gave the impression the investigation and inquiry has been downgraded to an audit, something entirely different. The inquiry was established in November 2012 and seven months later no significant progress has been made. We have been told the report will be finalised in the next seven to eight weeks. Can the Tánaiste explain the delay in the investigation, given the seriousness of the wrongdoing and the endangering of women's health the undercover investigation revealed? Can he explain why the investigation has been downgraded to an audit? Were the people giving this dangerous information suspended? They should have been suspended, or at that very least, some action should have been taken. Was any part of the €3 million in HSE funding to the offending agencies withdrawn or withheld? If not, why not? Why is the IFPA, a State-funded agency, which has given out life endangering and inaccurate information to vulnerable women and girls in crisis pregnancies, still receiving money when other HSE and other programmes are being targeted? Will the Tánaiste tell us the exact status of the investigation into State-funded crisis pregnancy counselling services?

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