Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all four witnesses. My questions are for Dr. O'Grady and Dr. O'Keane. Dr. O'Keane spoke about the sudden onset of suicidal intent in a pregnant woman. Dr. O'Grady is in agreement with Dr. O'Keane that psychiatrists do not treat suicidal intent; rather, they manage the issues underlying the risk and they deal with those issues. This is where my concern arises. She stated further that she understands the purpose of this legislation is for psychiatrists to assess the eligibility or otherwise of a woman seeking this procedure. She stated that in her view the process is too long, with too many medical people involved, and that the rush to appeal within seven days may mean the difference between a medical and a surgical abortion. While all this might be true, there is no treatment in the middle of all that process. I ask Dr. O'Keane to explain when, in the case of a woman who may present to a GP with genuine suicidal intent because of her pregnancy, does the treatment kick in? Do we immediately go through a process of assessing her eligibility or a certification for a medical treatment?

I am genuinely at a loss. In my head the reason I could satisfy my support of this legislation was that it was not a treatment for suicide but rather an option where all other options had failed. In that context I was happy to accept it. However, I fear from what Dr. O'Keane has described this morning that there is no treatment. A woman will go to the GP and say she is suicidal and requires an abortion and the process will immediately kick in whereby she will be certified as either eligible or not eligible. I am concerned that there will not be any medical care. I am probably mistaken in my interpretation but I ask the doctors to clarify the situation for me.