Dr. Margaret O'Riordan:

In response to Deputy Conway’s question, we must remember that this is a very small group of women where there is a real and substantive risk to the life of the mother. Therefore, the need for the referral path may not occur very often in the average GP practice. That is all the more reason it should be clearly defined and timely when we need to avail of the referral pathway.

To answer Deputy Byrne’s question, the situation is no different from any other situation and it is normal practice for patients to approach the health service through their general practitioners. In the vast majority of instances it is through the general practitioners in the first place.