Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I have three quick questions.

The first is to Dr. Montwill. I note a previous speaker, Senator Walsh, asked about indications of the extent to which suicide ideation strengthens or weakens over a given timeframe, or even disappears.

Perhaps the witness can comment on the Bill because there were calls earlier regarding the review process, to reduce it from seven days to 72 hours.

I also have two questions for Professor Malone. In this legislation psychiatrists will not only be asked to assess whether a woman is suicidal but also to certify that the only treatment is to terminate the pregnancy to address suicidality. Does Professor Malone think abortion is ever the only treatment to terminate a pregnancy? If not, what other treatments in current clinical practice in this country would be offered to someone who is suicidal? Does the Mental Health Act offer any guidance in this particular area?

Regarding the X case, part of the test for an abortion on suicide grounds is that as a matter of probability there must be a real threat posed to the life of the mother by way of self-destruction. Can psychiatrists judge as a matter of probability whether someone will commit suicide? Can Professor Malone point to any published research supporting his answer? Would Professor Malone contend that this part of the X case test is generally unachievable from a psychiatric perspective?