Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the Minister's reply to me, he referred to not knowing where to access the service. My understanding is that cases would have been taken by the HSE, which one would expect would know where the service was available.

I accept that people in care are statistically more likely to be vulnerable. On the other hand, since they are in the top class care of the HSE or another institution, one assumes that they have better supports than a vulnerable person living in the wider community.

A final issue of major concern is that of marginal viability, where extra weeks would significantly change a child's chances of not having a disability. Being born full term gives a baby advantages. Other than the obligation to sustain the child if born, is there an obligation to try to maximise the time in which the child is born? In this way, the child would not only get the maximum chance to live, but also the maximum chance to live at the maximum quality of life. Someone born with a catastrophic disability but who is otherwise perfectly healthy could have been born with no disability had he or she been given an extra few weeks. This would affect the person for the rest of his or her life.