Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To return to the issue of treatments, we have received many assurances from the Minister that all treatment options will be explored and, as a result, abortion will be a rare occurrence. While I accept the Minister's assurances, when I read the section, even as amended, it simply sets out a procedure whereby a woman, having her medical condition assessed, can establish her legal eligibility for an abortion. The Minister has stated on many occasions that the use of the word "only" has a certain meaning. Clearly, not everybody agrees that it has this meaning, least of all lawyers. I agree with Deputy Conlan in this regard.

At a certain point in the hearings of the Joint Committee on Health and Children, Professor Veronica O'Keane indicated that she did not consider her role in that circumstance was one of providing treatment but rather one of assessing eligibility for a procedure which a woman in that circumstance would request. The nub of the issue is that the Minister repeatedly points out how subjective this process is but does not reassure me. We were faced at the public hearings with the prospect that, at a certain juncture, in relation to the issue of treatment, one sees these professionals, equally qualified, who would have a divergence of view on what is the next step.