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

I thank the witnesses. Sometimes I see the situation with great clarity and other times I am in an indeterminable fog. Perhaps the witnesses could tell me what the case is at present. In their professional lives on a daily basis, the witnesses before us and their colleagues this morning adjudicate on the clinical risk of suicide and they make decisions on whether to admit, commit or treat as an outpatient. In head 4, as I understand it, what they are being asked to do is determine that there is a real and substantial risk of loss of a pregnant woman’s life by way of self-destruction. The previous speaker alluded to the risk of one in 500,000 which exists, rare and all as it might seem. Psychiatrists are not subsequently being asked to prescribe a termination.

Psychiatrists are being asked if in their reasonable opinion this risk can only be averted by a termination. If that is the best analysis of the individual situation, they are not being asked to prescribe any other treatment, they are being asked to include or exclude one option. Is it not the case that if it is their professional opinion that is at issue, and I accept the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland is divided on this issue, most agree there is no evidence for sanctioning a termination on the grounds of risk? Are they not really being given a veto in the legislation as a profession?

Psychiatrists are being given the ultimate authority and power. We are mere lay people trying to grapple with very complex issues but psychiatrists deal with the risk of suicide and it is not politicians who make the assessment, it is professional medical people; they are being given the power. Are we making a mistake that should assume that authority as non-professional people or are we right to give it to the people who have the best legal and medical training? The psychiatrists are only being asked to rule out. I accept there is no evidence basis for including termination as a treatment so I would expect the psychiatrists, be they pro-life or pro-choice, to ground their decisions on best medical practice.