Dr. Tony Holohan:

That situation will be governed by the existing law on minors and so on. This legislation does not seek to change that. Whatever arrangements might pertain to a child who is pregnant at that age, whether she is in care or not, are enshrined in existing legislation and we do not seek to change it.

Senator Walsh mentioned the uncertainty in the diagnosis of suicidal ideation. I must point out that psychiatry is a clinical science, one that is based on scientific method and endeavour. It is not a hocus-pocus assessment. There is a genuine clinical method and evaluation. The simple assertion that there is uncertainty in that clinical evaluation in no way negates the science behind the practice of psychiatry.

Deputy Naughten asked about the formal review panel. We view it as something that is activated by the woman if she receives a decision from the initial process with which she is not satisfied, which will mainly be a decision in the negative. If she is unhappy with the decision that a termination is necessary, she has the right to withdraw her consent, which addresses that particular scenario. The review is essentially a rerun of the initial process, in that three doctors will take over her care and have the duty of care responsibilities to the woman to which I referred in the context of the initial assessment.

It will, therefore, be only activated at the request of the woman and in practice will arise only where the woman gets a judgment with which she is not satisfied.

Regarding the question of perinatal psychiatrists, we do not believe it is necessary that suicidal ideation in pregnancy be assessed only by perinatal psychiatrists. The assessment of suicidal ideation is well within the scope and sphere of competence of general and child and adolescent psychiatrists of which there are more than sufficient in numbers relative to the likely rarity of these circumstances such that it is not going to cause any difficulty in either access to services or resources and so forth. It will not be the case that only perinatal psychiatrists can be involved in the assessment of women who might express suicidal ideation during pregnancy.