Dr. John Monaghan:

While the State recognises the equality of the mother and the foetus I have never come across, or heard of, a situation in which a doctor would have allowed a mother to die because he or she had a conscientious objection to abortion. That would be an unconscionable action for a doctor. In terms of the management because the child cannot survive without the mother the doctor must act to save the mother's life and in instances the baby loses its life as a consequence.

Deputy Timmins asked about the cross-over between personal and expert opinion. It is very clear from observing people, the Deputy may have observed it in me, that people have particular opinions, however, in the practice of medicine or giving an opinion, whether expert or not, the criterion one uses is whether the person is telling the truth. If somebody is prepared to massage data to suit his or her point of view then we are in a serious ethical situation. An opinion of a personal nature, if it is honest, should be capable of being an expert opinion too, although not all opinions are expert.

Senator Mullen asked about the effect of psychiatric indications on abortion incidence. It is certainly very well known that in the state of California abortion rates expanded dramatically on the basis of suicidal ideation. I cannot give any further answer to that question but the committee has a critical decision to face on the psychiatric evidence that it will hear next week.