Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their submissions and presentations. I look forward to hearing their feedback on the questions posed by my colleagues on the issue of fatal foetal abnormalities and how it might be addressed. Ms Schweppe made several very valid points in regard to the capacity of young people. We should not forget that the X case was about a 14 year old child and her wish for a termination of an unlawful pregnancy. Will she comment further in this regard? I am not sure whether the public is aware of the quandary in which children in care may find themselves in terms of the status of their care order and how that might prevent them from obtaining the timely treatment they may require. Some children are moving from a chaotic family life to a chaotic environment within the care system itself. We are talking about a very vulnerable group of young people whose members may be more likely than children in other situations to face a crisis pregnancy. Ms Schweppe has made a very welcome interjection in this regard and one we have not yet heard. Of all the tests that may present under the proposed legislation, this is one of the most likely because it relates to a very high-risk group. I look forward to further clarification in this regard.

There has been some debate among the public and by commentators on the potential repeal of sections 58 and 59 of the 1861 Act, an issue to which Ms Staunton referred in her presentation. In particular, a view is beginning to emerge that it is not as simple as repealing the old law but that something must replace it. If we legislate for X, will that be enough or will it leave us in another quandary?

Will we have a gaping hole in the legislation on sexual health and reproductive rights? Will there still be ambiguity if we were to repeal just those sections? I would welcome some further information on that matter.

On the question of a test to establish the probability of suicide due to pregnancy, the manner in which the submission dealt with this issue has really clarified the matter for me. The suicidal ideation is not due to an unlawful pregnancy but to the woman being suicidal as a direct result of the thought of being pregnant. That is very clear. That is a welcome insight.

I welcome some of Ms Schweppe's ideas on how we as legislators would do that. I would welcome some feedback and with the permission of the Chair I may come in again.