Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the expert witnesses for their attendance today and their clear responses. I wish to comment on the Women Hurt group. It was suggested on Friday that in many cases women who had abortions outside of this jurisdiction and had feelings of guilt afterwards had a prior psychiatric condition. Is that generally accepted? To what extent has the evidence of the Women Hurt group, who came before another group in the House, been adduced, if at all?

Given the tendency in this country to have an Irish solution to an Irish problem, is there evidence to suggest that in certain circumstances, by virtue of the existence of conscientious objection, there is a possibility that some women presenting with a crisis pregnancy might find themselves unable to access treatment appropriate to their condition, either from a psychiatric point of view or medical point of view?

Is time a critical factor in determination of access to suitable treatment in the course of an examination of a case presented by a woman in certain circumstances with specific reference to suicidality?

My final question is an important one. We have heard both in January and in recent days considerable evidence on what has happened in other jurisdictions. Could I have clarification on whether it is clearly understood by all that the situation in this country is controlled by the written Constitution, as amended by the people, with the exception of the situation as determined by the Supreme Court? Reference to extreme treatments prescribed in other jurisdictions is not relevant.