Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

People may not be aware that there is post-abortion counselling available to women in Ireland. In order to be fair to doctors, this must be stated. The impediment to access to services for some affected women is often the very unfortunate fact that there is a considerable stigma associated with abortion in Ireland such that women do not always feel they can share information with doctors. I, for one, hope the discussion we have had in the Oireachtas over recent months will be a starting point in reducing the stigma and allowing women to share the information with their doctors so they will be able to receive the post-abortion counselling they need. While I understand the sentiment of the amendment, as tabled, and while it is suggested we must trust doctors and not be overly prescriptive, we must hope that women who have a termination in this country or who, due to the very limited nature of this legislation, must unfortunately go to the United Kingdom will feel they will be able to share that information with their doctors and receive the kind of aftercare they so badly need and deserve.