Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank our panellists. I have a number of questions arising from the previous questions of my colleagues and the witnesses' subsequent answers. Dr. Montwill spoke about abortion being a social solution and her colleague, Dr. Bernie McCabe, articulated that there are often social solutions to problems that confront people with mental health difficulties, that they work in a multidisciplinary way, that it is not always just a question of medication or some intervention, and that there can be social stressors. By that very deduction, is abortion not a solution to somebody who is facing a crisis and who is suicidal? If the person does not get that intervention, what do we do with them? What is the alternative? I would like to know the witnesses' thinking on that.

I raise a second issue. We have had 13 consultants before us today. I asked a question this morning and I will ask it again of the witnesses. If I was in crisis today, how long would it take me to access the services provided by the witnesses? That is a crucial question in terms of the pathway and engagement for women who are in crisis. It is very important because no woman would be lucky enough to have the access we have had today to 13 consultant psychiatrists. That is a point worth making.

In terms of the evidence we have heard from some of the other psychiatrists who were before us today, Dr. Anthony McCarthy said that suicide in pregnancy is a real risk and that there will never be evidence because it is such a rare event. I would like to hear the witnesses' views on that because it is very important. For me personally, as a legislator, that struck a chord in that even if it is only one, that is one too many.