Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I must mention again the survey from the three Dublin maternity hospitals, namely, the Rotunda, the Coombe and Holles Street hospitals, which found that from 1980 to 2011, two deaths occurred by suicide, both of which occurred after delivery, out of a total of 680,000 live births. This is to prove that doctors are doing their best to protect both mother and child. Many families in Ireland have experience of suicide and I must state we cannot have abortion on demand. I have asked the following questions of previous groups over the past two days. Do women who have abortions increase the risk of mental health problems, such as depression or substance abuse? I acknowledge people might think I keep asking the same questions but it is a matter on which I must get clarity. Are women who have had abortions more likely to commit suicide? Finally, does motherhood protect from suicide?