Dr. Eoghan de Faoite:

I will address the question on the UK abortion statistics. We either believe these statistics from the Department of Health or we do not. These are not something I conjured up. They are actual statistics released from the Department of Health under a freedom of information request and they are freely available to everyone. We have often heard abortion figures quoted by pro-abortion lobbyists in the past and we either believe them or we do not.

In response to a freedom of information request I made to the Department of Health specifically requesting information on the number of abortions that were performed on Irish women under the grounds of saving their lives, I was given a range of information. The UK Abortion Act categorises abortions from A to G. F and G directly relate to where there is a risk to the life of the mother and abortion is performed for that reason, and they account for those figures. I was told by the freedom of information officer in the Department of Health that zero abortions were performed in the 18 year period between 1992 and 2010, which was the only period to which he had access, on Irish women in England under grounds F and G. Out of interest I also inquired under grounds A and B because they also relate to women's health. Under those grounds I was informed that only ten abortions were carried out in an 18 year period on Irish women in England where they may, during the course of pregnancy, present with a life-threatening condition. When one examines the reasons those ten abortions were carried out, only three of those ten are actual physical medical conditions and the rest are mental illness, depressive disorder, as Dr. Ó Domhnaill said, and failed abortion attempts. They were the other seven. Those three physical medical conditions are conditions that can be treated in Ireland and do not require the direct termination of the life of the unborn.