Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their enlightening presentations. If memory serves me correctly, on Friday Dr. Tony Holohan, the chief medical officer in the Department of Health, said the Department did not have access to figures in respect of adolescents in care who might have access and entitlement to a termination on the basis of the circumstances of the X case.

In that context I will address my questions to Dr. Peadar O’Grady because in his cover note he states that he has experience of certifying permission for terminations in those circumstances. It would be wrong to distil this complex issue of trying to reconcile a Supreme Court judgment with the legislative intent of the people in 40.3.3°. I refer to evidence given by a consultant psychiatrist, Dr. McCarthy, this morning and a figure which has come up previously, although I cannot vouch for its authenticity. It suggests that the incidence of suicide in pregnancy is a rare phenomenon – one in 500,000 pregnancies - which would suggest that on the basis of the X case ruling in 1992, on the basis of approximately 100,000 pregnancies a year we would be looking at four to five similar cases in this jurisdiction. In his professional experience, how many times did Dr. O’Grady provide such certifications during his employment and the circumstances in which he might have been requested but declined to authorise entitlement under X case criteria?

I have a second brief question on the issue, namely, on the doctors who will make the determination. It is proposed under the heads that it would be two consultant psychiatrists and an obstetrician or gynaecologist. I do not intend to second-guess the professional view of the psychiatrists but there is another voice in the context of the complex issue that must be heard, namely, that of the obstetrician. That is something that must be taken into account. While taking on board the evidence of the psychiatrists it is also important to factor in the input of the obstetrician. I would welcome some response on those two issues.