Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My questions will relate to head 4, the proposals in respect of suicide. Clear evidence was given to the committee at our last hearings and, despite Dr. Holohan's comments, was unanimous. All of the psychiatrists, including those who were pro-choice, stated that it was almost impossible to diagnose suicidal ideation. According to a study in Britain, such a diagnosis was accurate in only 3% of cases, with 97% false positives. In January, the committee received a submission from St. Patrick's University Hospital, whose staff are the recognised experts in this field. It clearly stated that mental health professionals were unable to predict suicide and that no test or clinical assessment was valid or reliable in that regard. It also stated that no evidence in the literature or from its own work indicated that the termination of pregnancy was an effective treatment for any mental health disorder or difficulty.

Dr. Holohan will accept that no psychiatric evidence was presented to the court in the X case. I am sure he will acknowledge that, in the interim, there have been significant advances in medical science that inform our knowledge today and indicate that abortion is not a treatment. The Minister stated that our hearings informed the compilation of the heads, but why did he and his Department ignore this medical evidence?