James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, it has to be the pregnancy.

The Deputy also contends that the Taoiseach has stated this will not lead to a change in practice. This must be taken in the round. I presume we all accept that what we are trying to do - we have stated it time and again - is have clarity for the women of this country as to what is legally available and how to access it and to have clarity for the professionals who must deliver the service as to what is legally permissible and what they are duty bound and obliged to provide. The natural consequence of this is improved practice. If we get into semantics about changes in practice and whether improved practice is changed practice, one can see where I am heading.

With regard to the issue raised by Deputy Billy Timmins of the six teenagers in care who travelled, I did not state it was not the practice; I stated it was not clear to them how they could access the service, which is why they travelled and we are introducing this legislation.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív also asked how many pregnant young women were in care. I do not know here and now, but we can find out and come back to the Deputy. The essence of what he has asked is that if the figure is six out of 1,000 in care, what is the figure among the general population. Nobody involved in statistics or analysis would buy this for half a minute because all types of confounder are involved. Everybody acknowledges - I certainly do - and I state to the Deputy as a doctor that young girls in care are probably at higher risk of finding themselves in this situation than those in other settings. However, one does not extrapolate in a direct line, as the Deputy has perhaps suggested. I can come back to tell him how many children are in care, but the figure cannot be used in the fashion he has indicated it might be used.