Dr. Máire Milner:

Correct. Somebody asked about a close relative and whether it is recognised that appropriate treatment would be given regardless of conscientious objections. I cannot speak for every colleague in every situation.

Legislation never guarantees an appropriate response or treatment at all times. That is why I assume the committee is sitting and this is the thrust of the proposed legislation.

Deputy Timmins spoke about personal and expert opinion cross-over. Clearly, there will be causes of cross-over. On suicide, we are talking about women threatening to take their own lives. Yes, it will be difficult to prove or disprove this. Yes, it is subjective and not exclusive to psychiatry but psychiatrists will have more experience in teasing out suicidal ideation than will we.

Doctors, particularly obstetricians and gynaecologists, dealing with pregnant women have significant experience of all of the psychology that goes with being pregnant and the problems and issues that people can have psychologically. Deputy Timmins asked if a psychiatrist would take a precautionary approach. By the time one gets to be a consultant, one is at least 40 years of age with a lot of experience. None of us is infallible but one has to make the best possible judgment. I cannot give an absolute on that. We are human beings but one makes the best possible judgment in the circumstances. The legislation is looking at two separate psychiatrists and the obstetrician looking after the woman.