Séamus Healy (Tipperary, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I want to comment on the 72-hour waiting period and to express my opposition to it. I believe it should be removed from the Bill. There is no medical evidence whatsoever for this provision and no clinical indication for it. It is not an evidence-based provision. In my view it is a barrier and it will be used as such for access, particularly for rural women and women who are in abusive relationships.

Another factor is that GP surgeries primarily operate now on a five-day week basis. There may be consultations on a Saturday morning for very urgent cases but there is effectively no weekend cover. It is also a fact that there are no same-day appointments in GP surgeries, certainly not where I come from. One could be waiting for two or three days for a GP appointment. Also, particularly in rural areas, it could be the case that the local GP is a conscientious objector and a woman would have to travel quite a distance to a different surgery for a consultation.

We must remember that provisions of a similar type have been dropped in other jurisdictions. There is also the question of when does this 72-hour period start and when does it finish. It is impractical, not evidence based and will be used as a barrier. I believe it should be removed.

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