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

A medical practitioner's ethical duty of care is already set out in the ethics guidelines published by the Medical Council, to which all medical practitioners registered on a special division are expected to adhere. These guidelines make specific provisions to ensure patients receive continuity of care, even where a medical practitioner decides to withdraw his or her services because of a conscientious objection, or other reasons, including the need to transfer the patient's medical records without delay. In addition, both the medical guidelines and the Bill make it clear that conscientious objection cannot be invoked when the risk to a pregnant woman's life is immediate, that is, when there is an emergency.

Section 10 imposes a specific duty on a treating physician who refuses certification to inform the woman that she has a right to apply for a formal review of this decision. Therefore, I cannot support Deputy Healy's amendments.